Secrets That You Keep
by fangtasyinred
Summary: Would I be correct in assuming you were having entertaining dreams about Eric?" he growled. Dallas, what should have happened. Eric/Sookie. Rated M. Please read and review LEMONS!
1. Chapter 1

_**AN-**_** This is my first piece of fanfiction, so please bear that in mind. I have read a lot of really fantastic stories starting from the trios time in Dallas, so I decided to give it a go myself. My story starts after Godric's death and just before everyone is due to go back to Bon Temps. Because I'm ever so slightly obsessed with Eric:P, this will of course be an Eric/Sookie story, how I wished it had gone. Everyone knows Bill is a lying pig and in my humble opinion Eric has been screwed over as a character by the shows writers. **

The title of this story comes from the song of the same name by a band called Mud. It stuck in my mind as a good one for the relationships in True Blood so I stuck with it.

Please let me know if you think this story should be continued or remain a one-shot. I actually have big plans for it and already have several chapters half written in my head. Anyway, enough rambling. Enjoy.

**Secrets That You Keep**

_His hands worked themselves down her aching body with all the precision of an artist at work on a masterpiece. Her name fell from his lips in a harsh whisper that communicated just how long he'd wanted to do this. "Sookie..." Eric pressed his body into her, enveloping her tiny frame in his huge, muscular form. Trailing her fingers slowly up his back to wind into his soft blonde hair, she let out a sharp hiss, drawing his head down so that her lips could finally catch his in a searing kiss that almost knocked the wind out of her. If she'd known he would be this talented in the bedroom she may have given in to him sooner. Their mouths fought frantically against each other, tongues dashing out to probe, explore each others mouths, their mutual hunger for each other almost sending them to their peak before they'd even properly started. Sookie felt his hands push her nightdress slowly up her thighs, earning him a soft groan. Eric seemed determined to take his time, savour the moment, and she was only too happy to oblige him. One of her hands loosened on his hair to slide back down his bare back and slip into the trousers that covered his spectacular ass, pushing them down. The other hand gripped his hair even tighter, while her hips started to move. The heat shooting right into her core was like nothing she had ever felt before, her entire body felt aflame with desire. This was right. This was where she belonged, in Eric's arms, underneath his hard, gorgeous body with his fingers tearing her underwear to shreds, the hardness of his erection pressing against her pleasure centre, rubbing slowly, driving her wild. He let out a primal growl into her mouth before he tore his lips away to bury his face in her neck. Licking, biting hard enough to draw just a little blood, he slid his cock into her dripping core inch by inch, torturing her in the sweetest way. Her eyes fluttered shut as she gave herself over to the sensations he was producing deeper in her than any man had ever been before. It was no lie to say that Eric was much more blessed than Bill was downstairs. When he was buried completely, he lifted his head just enough to stare into her eyes. His hand came up to caress her face, fangs fully extended. "Sookie..." he groaned, thrusting out just to slam back in. Once. Hard. She gave a yelp of pure bliss. "You are mine. I love you.."_

"ERIC!" Sookie cried out. Her entire body was trembling, sweating. She sat up quickly, the sheets around her dropping from her body. _Another _dream, she realised. This was getting ridiculous. Night after night all she dreamed of was Eric. Gorgeous, evil, sometimes sweet, manipulative, clever, sexy as hell, but still... evil, Eric. She could kill him. He was even forcing his way into herwaking thoughts now. Just this morning she'd lost herself in an Eric-centered fantasy of epic proportions, which was bad enough but for the fact that she'd been having breakfast with Barry the Bellboy down in the dining area of Hotel Carmilla at the time. Shaking her head as if to wipe the image of a smirking Barry asking if she was feeling _quite _alright from her mind, she gave a start as she felt the bed shift. Bill was moving. _Uh-Oh._

"Sookie? Would I be correct in assuming you were having entertaining dreams about Eric?" he growled, looking none too happy.

"You heard that huh." she replied, looking down, finding herself unable to look at him anymore.

"I believe the entire hotel heard that."

She sighed, pushing the blankets back and standing to grab her robe and tie it around her. "Look, Bill, I'm sorry. I can't help what I dream about can I?" It wasn't that she didn't care that Bill was upset, but really, this was NOT her fault and it was beginning to piss her off royally that he was taking his frustration out on her just because he didn't have the guts to be horrible to Eric.

"Can't you?" he replied shortly, exiting the bed himself now. "Eric's forcing you to drink his blood may have caused you to become attracted to him, but dreams that cause you to scream his name for all the damn world to hear are what concern me."

"Now really Bill..." she turned to glare at him. "You don't seriously think I'd have done that if it wasn't for his blood. I hate Eric! You know I do!" she heard her own voice raising and tried to calm down before this became an all-out fight. "Bill," she tried again. "You know I don't feel anything for Eric..."

He cut her dead with a very loud and un-Bill-like snort. "Really Sookie? You feel nothing yet I wake to find you screaming his name in a way you have never screamed my own." _Ah, _she thought with a pang, _no wonder he's unhappy with me._ She opened her mouth to speak but Bill wasn't finished yet, his voice steadily getting louder. "You feel nothing for him yet you took his blood in the first place rather than, as you thought, watch him die. You feel nothing yet you rushed off to hold his hand while his coward of a maker took the easy way out and met the sun..."

Bill was by no means finished but his rant was interrupted by Sookie's swift approach and the feel of her hand colliding with his face.

"Don't you... don't you even. How could you speak about Godric that way? He was the bravest, kindest man, vampire or not, that I've ever met. And Eric loved him Bill. Even you cannot deny that. I won't hear Godric called a coward Bill. You're angry with me, not him." she had no idea where the sudden surge of fury had come from, but she embraced it. Godric, after all, had saved her from a rapist _and_ a pyscho maker. She owed him. Bill, however, wasn't in the mood to be chastised. She gave a startled cry as she was suddenly gripped none too gently by the throat.

"Bill." she spluttered. "Stop." His eyes were glowing with rage, and for the first time Sookie was terrified of him. Her voice seemed to snap him out of it and he dropped her in shock. She sank to the floor, hands moving to gingerly touch her throat. He seemed to know better than to try touching her right now. Perhaps he knew he'd just gone one step too far.

"Sookie... I am... Sookie I am sorry." Bill spoke quietly, shock colouring his voice. She held a hand up. Sookie Stackhouse was suddenly sick and tired of hearing him apologise for treating her like dirt. The memory of his lies about Jessica and the way he'd treated her for trying to help the girl. Foolish though she'd been, he could've been a little less cruel in his treatment of her. _If that bull-creature hadn't attacked me he probably would have let me walk home. _Something else was occurring to her as well. Talk of ingesting vampire blood and its effects on a human had pushed yet another memory to the front of her mind. One of laying half propped against a tree and being offered the blood of the man who she'd since come to love. Confusion whirled in her mind, which, added to the literal pain in her neck, only made her more angry and she lost any remaining interest in dealing with her boyfriend right now.

"Get out, Bill. Just leave me alone. Please."

The door closed with a snap and Sookie stayed where she was, breathing hard. Tears stung her eyes and she wiped hard at her face, no longer sure who she was more furious with, Eric, Bill, or herself. Of course Bill had been right. She _did_ care for Eric in some way. He'd protected her in the church and he did seem genuinely sorry for sending her into a trap. And besides, he had taken bullets for her, even though he tricked her straight after he could have allowed her to be hurt and left her with no choice but to take his blood. He'd had the opportunity, yet kept her safe rather than risk her life or suffering as a means to get what he wanted. And he really did care for Godric. Anyone with eyes could see that. She snorted as the memory of another dream starring her viking pain in the ass came back to her. "The big faker." she mumbled to herself.

So busy wrapped in her own thoughts, she failed to notice the door sliding open, or hear the footsteps slowly approaching her.

"Who is a big faker?" a voice as smooth as silk whispered right into her ear.

An unwanted yet very real thrill of pleasure shot up her spine. "Eric!" she glared round at him and got to her feet quick as she could. "What are you _doing_ here?" She half growled at him in her annoyance. This was the last thing she needed. For the life of her she just couldn't work out how he managed to affect everything from her temper to her panties in seconds no matter when she saw him.

"It is the strangest thing, _Lover.._" he intoned with a smirk. "I was finishing up some business across the hall ahead of our departure tonight and I heard someone call my name..." Her face flamed in absolute horror. _He heard me! Oh God of COURSE he heard me, I was loud enough! Kill me now Lord, just strike me down any second now. _

He took a step closer, his smirk becoming more pronounced by the second. Sookie felt her heart begin to race, but she refused to give him the pleasure of knowing she felt the need to back away. Planting her feet to the ground, she stared up at him.

"I felt I should come right away and see to your ah... _need_ for me, but I heard shouting." Alright, now he was looking REALLY happy with himself. "Of course I heard you and dear Billy arguing, I felt it polite to wait." He reached out to sweep a lock of her hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear while moving even closer in the same movement. _Big, stupid, graceful faker. _she thought. "Thank you, by the way." He told her, "For your defence of - him." Eric said simply, a brief flash of pain crossing his face. "It saved me the trouble of hitting him myself."

She drew herself to her full height, ignoring both the fact that her heart was now hammering madly in her chest, and the urge to wrap her arms around the viking before her and offer any comfort she could. This, right here, was why she hated Eric. She never knew whether she wanted to kiss him or kill him at any given moment, and she was pretty appalled by the realisation that she'd always felt this way about him. Way before she took his stupid blood. Even as Bill carried her friend from Eric's office, the friend Eric and his minions had tortured, even then a part of her had needed to resist the urge to punch him and then fuck him. In that order. "I didn't do it for you." was all she managed to whisper in reply.

Eric frowned, his eyes having wandered over her face and now settling on the bruising around her throat from Bill's temper tantrum. He couldn't explain to himself later when he thought back on this night, why the sight of her pain had brought up the urge to tear Compton to pieces. He leaned down before she could stop him and kissed the sore bits softly. Her breath caught and she barely had chance to melt before he'd brought his eyes back to hers and replied with certain conviction written across his face. "Oh, Sookie. Yes you did." With that his lips crashed down onto hers and he pulled her flush against his body with a growl very similar to the one from her dream.

**Well, hope you liked. I'm new to this fic site so please review and let me know what you think. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Secrets That You Keep chapter ****2**

**A/N- Well, hope you all enjoyed chapter 1. I found I was too excited by my story to wait any longer to write more. I'm waiting as I write for the publisher on this site to allow me to upload this story so please forgive my ramblings. I don't make any claims about this story, in fact it's probably not very good at all, I'm just enjoying writing the thing due to my serious book and tv show withdrawals. **

This is starting out a little boring I know, but I needed to begin in Dallas for the story to really take off and make sense. Please keep in mind that while I love a bad Eric, I won't be making him as nasty as some other fic writers have. Not that their writing is bad or wrong, I just interpret Eric a little differently. As I've already said, I think the writers of True Blood screwed over his character in favour of the detestable Bill. We "Team Eric" people can only hope that they're setting up the Bill betrayal to have as much impact as possible. (Though I'm beginning to fear that they're gonna keep him a "hero" due to the cute factor of their off-screen relationship.)

Anyway, here's chapter 2, hope you like. Please read and review, if only so you can tell me not to bother continuing, I'm aiming to entertain, not bore:)

Sookie found herself unable or unwilling to pull herself away from Eric. For a few sweet seconds she simply gave herself over to his kiss. His mouth was crushing her lips with a fierceness that was intoxicating to her. For a thousand years this man had been kissing women and boy did it show. His fingers cradled her face almost gently for him, and his tongue was doing dangerous things to her willpower. With a deep groan, she wound her hands into his hair and surprised him by giving a growl of her own and pushing her body into his. His raging erection pulsed between her thigh and his leg and it was perhaps this that snapped her out of what she would later call her momentary lapse in judgement. She immediately let go of his hair and moved her hands down to his shoulders, pushing with all her strength to get him away from her. Which did precisely nothing. He was a vampire after all. An old one at that. Eric felt her attempt and regretfully pulled back. He was many things, but he would never force himself on an unwilling woman. She hoped anyway. Not that she could imagine _Eric _coming across many unwilling women...

"You are such a tease little one." he murmered softly at her, smirk already in place. "It bodes well."

Sookie was backing away, her cheeks flaming red. Caught somewhere between being horrified and being thrilled at what had just happened, she stared at the floor.

"I think you should leave Eric. Right now."

He only smirked. His voice was deeply accented when he spoke, more so than usual. "Is that really what you want Sookie? I think not."

_Damn him. Oh damn him to hell. Does he know how sexy he sounds right now? Oh yes, of course he does.._

"Eric... you can't seriously believe that I want you to stay here. This is ALL YOUR FAULT!" she hadn't meant to end up shouting but apparently her temper had other ideas. And now that it had let loose it had no intention of going anywhere fast. Words were tripping out of her mouth faster than she could keep track of. "You bring me to your club to help YOU and nearly get me KILLED. Then you get my boyfriend in trouble for SAVING ME when it was your fault I was attacked in the first place. And you didn't even help, I mean you just stood there. And then you lock my Layfayette up for having an AGREEMENT with a vampire that had NOTHING to do with you. You blackmail me into coming here before promptly sending me into a TRAP and THEN you finish off by tricking me into drinking your blood when I was just trying to help you AGAIN, And NOW you've made my boyfriend half choke me like you weren't causing enough problems for our relationship. Your blood may make me find you attractive, and it may make me dream of you but believe me buddy, I will HATE you for the rest of my life!" With that, she flounced over to the sofa and threw herself down, legs crossing and arms promptly folding while she glared at him with pure anger radiating from every inch of her.

Eric had remained silent throughout her rant. He hadn't moved an inch, but his eyes followed every move she made. While she glared, he finally opened his mouth. "Sookie, I am a vampire. As is your boyfriend, though he may like to pretend otherwise. We live by our own rules, not your pathetic little human ones. Bill chose to stake Longshadow and regardless of the reason he broke vampire law in doing so. I did offer him an alternative to facing the magister and he chose not to take it." Eric's lips curled into a predatory smile at this point. "As for not saving you, I had no idea you wished for me to be your knight in shining armour..."

Sookie snorted and muttered something that sounded supiciously like "you wish buddy." She hadn't known though, that Bill had been given another choice and curiousity briefly broke through her anger. "What alternative? Bill never said anything about an alternative."

He waved a hand in a bored fashion, "Ask him yourself, I am sure since he is so _honest _a person he'll have no problem with telling you." Sookie definitely felt like she was missing something here, but Eric didn't give her a chance to question any further. "I did not save you, as you put it, from Longshadow as I was curious to see what Bill would do. I certainly would not have killed him for a _human..._" he ignored her outraged glance and continued. "However I would not have allowed him to kill you. You may have felt it, but you were in no danger of dying that night."

He moved closer to her, kneeling down to look into her face, a look that could be described as angry flashed across his face. "And I hardly need to remind you of what Godric means - meant to me." He corrected himself. "I would have risked anything to return him this is true. But while your _boyfriend_ was busy with his maker, I, through Isabel, was watching over you throughout your time with the Fellowship. She could feel Hugo and saw no reason for alarm. Therefore I saw no reason to come blustering into that church to get to you when I thought no harm had come to you."

Surprise lit her features. _He was watching over me? _"I..." she began, but he waved a hand again, this time to cut her off. "As I said before, I am a vampire. I wish you to be mine and I took the opportunity to bind you to me when it arose. You forget that I only came upon the opportunity because I took silver bullets for you. While your precious Bill was busy _yet again_ with his maker. I make no pretences about what I am Sookie, or what I want. Can you say the same about your Bill?"

She fought the urge to get up and run as his fingers reached out to her. They trailed a path around her injured neck and he hissed softly, "I would not have done this to you. _I _would protect you as my human. You would have everything you dream of and more at my side."

Sookie inhaled sharply and forced her eyes up to meet his. "You did lie to me Eric. And I am _Bill's _remember. You can't just change that by forcing an attraction onto me and making me dream about you. It just doesn't work like that!" She was grasping at straws now. Seeing things from his perspective was making her realise a few things. The first being that Eric wasn't as much of an asshole as she'd thought. _Layfayette! Ha! There, he's still an asshole. He never explained about Layfayette cause he knows he can't defend his actions there. Ha! _She thought triumphantly and proceeded to tell him what she had just been thinking. "You still tortured my friend."

Eric looked exasperated at this. She was sure if he'd been human he would've sighed. "Ah, our friend Layfayette. Tell me Sookie do you know why he was held at Fangtasia?"

"Yes! He had an agreement with a vampire that they were BOTH happy with and you abducted and tortured him for it! I bet you didn't torture the vamp over it though ya big jerk. Sheriff or not that was just shitty of you Eric."

"Of course I did not," he replied. "Seeing as the vampire in question had gone missing and Layfayette was known to have taken his blood before."

Startled, she looked up at him, her mouth dropping open. "Are you saying that Layfayette _killed..." _Eric silenced her with a look. "That was indeed what I suspected at the time. Perhaps something had changed in their agreement, such as the vampire in question changing his mind about it and the human deciding he'd have the blood to sell anyway. But I was wrong." He smirked at her, "A one off I assure you little one, I am never wrong, about anything." Sookie snorted and he continued. "It turns out that Eddie's killer was someone else entirely. Your brother, Jason, and his girlfriend."

Horror flooded through her. "No. No. No. Jason wouldn't... he just... wouldn't." she stared at Eric, willing him to tell her he was kidding. But of course he didn't. _Jason wouldn't... he's not capable... to kidnap a vampire and then kill him? No.. no. _"I don't believe you. Jason is many things Eric, but a killer isn't one of them. You're lying."

"I am not." For the first time tonight he was angry with her. Very angry. "I have explained myself throughout every accusation you have hit me with tonight and I have been completely honest with you. But now you try my patience. I have no time for playing silly games with you Sookie. If tell you that your brother was behind the disappearance and death of Layfayette's _friendly_ vampire, then you should recoqnise it as truth.." His eyes were burning into hers so intensely she could almost feel them bore into her body. A flicker of fear shot up her spine, which of course, he felt. _Stupid blood. Stupid Eric. Stupid me, _she thought.

"Alright, okay, I'm sorry." She told him. "I just can't believe Jason would do such a thing. More to the point I can't believe Jason was smart enough to be able to get close enough to a vampire to kidnap him." Eric laughed at this. She couldn't help giving a small laugh herself. She'd work this Jason thing out when she saw him.

Eric stepped back from her and slid his hands into his trouser pockets looking very much like a swedish god. _Pig. _

"So..." she let out the breath she hadn't been aware she was holding. "Did you come here just to gloat and kiss me against my will or was there something else you wanted, cause I wanted to shower before we leave."

He waggled his eyebrows and leered at her. "Do not let me stop you. I could guard the shower if you like..."

"Dream on viking." she retorted, getting to her feet.

"Oh I will little one, however I'd rather hear about _your _dreams Sookie."

Just when she'd thought he was being halfway decent. "More like nightmares since you've been in them. That was a mean, nasty trick Eric and I don't think I'll ever not hate you for it."

That actually stung him. "I have nothing to do with your dreams." He told her truthfully. "Heightened sexual desire is a side-effect of taking my blood yes, but the dreams are of your own making. My blood did not cause them and nor is it the reason for them."

"What?" Now she was stunned. And slowly turning red again. "You mean-"

"Yes _lover_, you dream of me because you want me. I had nothing to do with it." He positively radiated glee. "No wonder dear Billy was so frantic."

She'd just about had enough of this now. "You're a lying, arrogant pig Eric Northman. As if I'd EVER dream about you of my own free will. No part of me, conscious or not, wants anything to do with you so why don't you get the hell out of my hotel room and let me get on with my life. As far away from YOU as possible." she stormed at him. _How dare he come in here looking all gorgeous and Eric-like and KISS me and lie to me about my brother and accuse me of dreaming about making love to him because I wanted to and not because of his stupid blood!_

Before she knew what she was doing, she'd marched up to him and slapped her second vampire of the evening. One of these days she might just learn that slapping an immortal wasn't the best way to keep herself safe.

He reacted immediately. A hand grabbed her wrist and dragged her to him tight against his body. Her heart pounded in her chest, fear gripping her. He growled down at the now terrified woman who had been in his thoughts far too much lately for his liking. Her eyes wide, she stared up at him. Eric could of course, feel the fear coursing through her body and he found he rather liked it when Sookie was helpless in his arms. It touched a dormant protective streak that had been buried in him for so long he'd forgotten it existed. _Strange. Considering I am the reason for her fear at present. Why would I wish to protect her from myself? _He locked these thoughts away for the moment. For now he had to deal with the wilful, delightful little human he had pressed so teasingly close.

"Are you going to calm down Sookie or am I going to have to make you?" he asked with a grin.

"Screw you Eric." She began struggling, determined not to be scared by the close proximity of the most beautiful, yet dangerous, man she had ever laid eyes on.

"As you wish..." he dipped his head down, lips brushing her ear sending a thrill of excitement through her. He noted this with a smirk. Her eyes fluttered shut and she mumured, "Eric... stop.", just as his lips pressed against her neck. He took in her scent. _Delicious. Hmm... she smells of... faery.. Interesting. Faery blood. No wonder Compton keeps such a tight reign on her. With her beauty and her talent she is enough of a temptation to vampires without the added allure of the fae on the list of her charms. _

It took a great effort on Eric's part not to bite her there and then. Take her and taste her and make love to her right there. He had to be careful with this one. He could not glamour her and if he simply forced himself on her he would be disgusted with himself. There was no pleasure to be had from causing that kind of pain to a woman. Plus, this was a woman he had a feeling he would want to have not just once, but over and over again. He needed her to trust him. And he needed to find out what exactly Compton was up to. He could tell just by smelling her that she hadn't been bonded to Bill and this confused him greatly. Surely a man so determined to keep hold of his human would have used every available way to keep her tied to him. No, he was up to something and the sooner Eric worked out what that was the better.

With his mouth now exploring her neck, Sookie made a great effort to keep herself calm and still and unaffected by him. She failed miserably. Every place his lips touched tingled even after he'd moved on. All of her blood seemed to have rushed to her head and it was probably only the fact that he was holding her in place that saved her from sinking to the floor.

Eric slowly covered every inch of her neck in kisses, infinitely gentle, going against every non-gentle instinct in his body. While he was doing this his arms had wrapped around her and pulled her even closer. His cock twitched in his pants in anticipation and he once again had to force himself not to take her whether she wanted it or not.

Once his mouth had finished its exploration, he moved it to cover hers. A squeal of protest on her part was muffled as his lips started attacking hers with amazing skill. He was better than her dreams. And in her dreams he was pretty damn perfect.

Some rational part of her brain screamed at her that this was wrong, that she should be out looking for her boyfriend. That she should not be enjoying this in any way. Unfortunately for her, it was the other, rather larger part of her brain that was thoroughly opposed to this kiss ever ending that was in charge of her body.

As Eric felt her start to respond, he growled in victory, pressing his mouth even harder into hers for a second, and then he pulled back and let her go.

To her eternal shame, she actually whimpered at the loss. For his part, Eric's chest swelled with pride at her reaction. He reached out to take her hand, lifting it gently to his lips he brushed them across the back, turned it over and did the same to her palm. Sookie closed her eyes in pleasure.

"I shall see you again very soon, my Sookie." He whispered.

She was unsure whether this was an order or a promise, but for now it didn't matter as there was a gust of wind around her and she opened her eyes to stare at an empty room.

_A/N - Well, hope you liked it. As I said, please review. I'm new to this site so constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. _

_About Sookie - I know her actions in this chapter probably seem a little wanton and a lot dumb, but this IS going somewhere. My Sookie ( unlike the one in the show), is smart enough to realise that Bill is being a pig, and that Eric isnt quite the devil. I still cannot believe that she still hasn't thought to question the night he gave her his blood, especially since her reaction to Eric tricking her into attraction to him was so harsh. Not that I blame her but still, a little of the fury should be turned on her boyfriend. Anyway, I digress. Sookie will not fall instantly in love with Eric in my story, if she actually does at all, but she is thoroughly attracted to him, thus the difficulty in resisting his kisses. This does NOT mean she's going to jump into bed with him while she's with Bill. _

_Eric - He may seem a little soft so far, but believe me, he is still the bad ass viking we all know and love, he just doesn't have any legitimate reason to act the big bad sheriff, all politics and aloofness when he's alone in a room with Sookie. _

_Until next time. Thanks for reading. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Secrets That You Keep Chapter 3**

_**A/N Hello again everyone. Thank you so much for the reviews, they made a nervous girl very happy! **_

_**This chapter is longer than the others, but I just couldn't seem to stop writing. I'm not certain where this story is headed so feel free to comment on where you'd like it to go or any ideas for what you'd like to see. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, it was a bitch to write:P**_

_**Disclaimer - I don't own any of the characters, etc. **_

_Eric peered past the wall at the human women and children making their way out the church doors. "I could have you out in seconds." he told her, eyes still on the people in front of him. _

_"There's kids out there." she replied in a warning tone. _

_"None of those humans would think twice about hurting us." _

_Sookie ignored that comment, knowing it to be perfectly true and instead asked the question that had been bugging her since his arrival. "Why didn't you bring Bill with you?" _

_Eric paused before replying. "His attachment to you is irrational, it clouds his judgement. He would kill every child in this church to save you." _

_Her voice took on a teasing tone now, "Why aren't you?" _

_At this Eric turned to look at her. Was that amusement she caught glinting in his eyes? "I'm following Godric's orders and getting you out, that's all." She knew she was crossing the line, but curiousity overcame her and she spoke before she could stop herself. "He's your maker isn't he?" _

_He looked put out. She couldn't help but find his expression cute. "Don't use words you don't understand." Undeterred, she replied. "You have a lot of love for him." For a second, he looked confused and her heart gave a leap inside her chest. "Don't use words I don't understand." _

_With that, he turned his attention back to the three men with stakes just closing the large doors. He made to move towards them and something akin to panic rose in her. Whether for Eric's safety or for the men she didn't know but right now that didn't matter. "Eric, no!" she whispered quickly. _

_He stopped at her words and closed the distance between them in a few short steps. Sookie's breath caught as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Trust me." Those two words were loaded. _

_Giving a barely perceptible nod, she then turned her eyes to his, still so achingly close to her, "I do." she whispered. _

_His perfect blue eyes gazed into hers, searching for something and evidently finding it there, because before she knew what was happening his lips had swooped down to catch hers in a heated kiss. His fingers found their way to the front of her dress, tracing lightly across her chest, drawing a soft moan from deep in her throat. Their mouths moved slowly, almost gently. He was comforting her, she realised. He knew what that monster had tried to do to her down in that basement and how frightened she was now. In his own Eric way he was trying to give her some kind of comfort, trying to make her feel better. And he wasn't a friendly hugs sort of a man. This kiss was the only tool at his disposal, she thought, and she intended to make the most of it while she could. His tongue slid easily past her lips to entangle with her own. She felt his hands move to rub her arms softly and a purr rose in her throat. Sookie reached up to hold his face non too gently as their mutual passion quickly took over the soothing aspect of their kissing. _

_Her already ripped dress was crumpled on the floor in seconds as Eric, spurred on by Sookie's abrupt change of mood stripped her with surprising speed even for a vampire, all the while never removing his mouth from hers for an instant. She helped, somewhat slower, by pushing his jacket from his shoulders and undoing his trousers, then reaching up to pull his shirt over his head breaking the kiss for a half a second which was far too long in Sookie's opinion. Their mouths crashed together this time, Eric's body shoving Sookie's back into the wall behind them. Her legs were quickly wrapped around his waist as his fingers found her opening and he slid two in hard, pumping fast without mercy. He pulled his head back, fangs popping out as a look of pure hunger raged across his beautiful features. She turned her head to expose her neck and he wasted no time in sinking his fangs into her smooth skin, stuffing his hand against her mouth to muffle the loud moan escaping her lips. _

_Her entire body was throbbing with anticipation. The danger of the moment only served to heighten her excitement. And Eric's as well it seemed, she realised as his rock hard erection replaced his fingers. There was no romance or softness in this moment. Neither of them had the time or the inclination for gentleness. Her hips bucked against him, eyes silently begging him to fuck her. Ever the gentleman, Eric instantly complied, slamming himself in to her hilt, hand tightening on her mouth as she cried out louder than ever. Sookie had never experienced pleasure like it. It was as though he'd become a part of her, he was buried so deeply within her aching body. Every thrust sent a new thrill of rapture through her entire being and she found she had to bite down hard on his palm to completely silence her now uncontrollable screams. _

_"Sookie.." he growled against her skin, ramming into her harder and faster by the second. She sucked hard at the blood her teeth had drawn from his hand and was surprised by the strangled groan that rumbled from his chest at her actions. He tasted so good. Her mind started to swim as he pulled out of her, leaving only the head of his cock inside her. Turning her head roughly so that he could meet her gaze, Eric gave her a lust-filled, hungry grin and slammed his cock in again, all the way, keeping his gaze locked onto hers. This finished her off and with a sharp howl, she hit her peak, coming hard, squeezing the walls of her burning center around his pulsating cock. He followed straight away, a look of agonized bliss covering his face. Their foreheads rested together while she regained her breath, a feeling of complete love and contentment overcoming her and when she spoke it was in a soft whisper. "Eric... I lo-"_

"Sookie. Sookie wake up." Someone was shaking her non too gently and she woke with a start. She looked blearily around for the source of her annoyance and realised with an embarrassed pang that not only were her panties completely soaked through, but with her habit of talking in her sleep there was a good chance that anyone present would know exactly what she was dreaming about.

"What you dreamin' 'bout?" her brother asked with a knowing smile.

_Eeeeewww. _"I." _Uh-oh, busted. _"Bill...?" She replied, straightening up. Jason gave no sign that he'd heard differently, giving her hope that she'd been spared the indignity of saying Eric's name out loud. They were in a car, Bill and Jessica's coffins rested in the back. Sookie avoided looking her brother in the eye and after giving her an amused smirk, he turned his attention to the window, eyes wandering over the streets of Bon Temps. His amusement faded as he saw graffiti on the sign that welcomed them to their home town and he turned back to point it out to Sookie, but her thoughts were a million miles away and several looks were crossing her face one after the other. He stopped speaking to wait for her face to return to normal.

_I cannot believe I dreamed of him again. This is getting too much. And in front of my brother as well! I could kill Eric. I WILL kill Eric when I get my hands on him. Eric. Hmm, I enjoy saying his name... No, wait, that's bad. Very, very bad. I hate Eric, oooooh Eric, there's that thrill again. Alright Sookie stop. You hate Eric. Hate him, hate him, hate him. That's right, love Bill, hate Eric. I hate Eric. Sookie hate Eric. _She gave a small sigh, _Boy I'm in trouble. _She thought back over her latest Eric centered dream and a small smile played at her lips. _If we'd done that in the Fellowship church that night things might have ended a little differently._ She thought amusedly, surprising herself. She should be furious at him right now, but the memory of dream Eric's touch and possibly the memory of real Eric's kiss was too fresh in her mind. All she could feel for him at the moment was desire. And she hated him for it. As her thoughts went back to the previous night when he had kissed her, she remembered with a lurch one of the things he'd said to her.

_"It turns out that Eddie's killer was someone else entirely. Your brother, Jason, and his girlfriend." _

The horror and disbelief she had felt then came flooding back to her and she turned her attention, finally, to her brother. "Jason... there's something I have to ask you and I want the truth..."

_Meanwhile, somewhere in Shreveport in a dark, underground room..._

Eric's eyes slid open, his daytime rest interrupted by the dream that had just forced its way into his consciousness. Which was odd in itself as vampires didn't usually dream. At all. Ever. They really did sleep the sleep of the dead. He blinked, thinking over all he had just witnessed. It was as though he was actually there. He and Sookie, inside that damn Fellowship church. Talking, almost flirting. He felt again the heat that had come up around them during their little interlude. With both of them so preoccupied at the time though, neither had taken it any further. He was intrigued by what he had seen. The first part merely a memory, but all that occurred after he had asked her to trust him certainly an act of the imagination. But who's? Surely not his. And then it hit him. Sookie. _She's been dreaming about me again. _His smile was huge, and smug. He wondered at why he was witnessing what she was dreaming of, but the satisfaction of hearing her groan and feeling her writhe beneath him was still fresh in his mind and he found himself too excited to care at present. He looked down at the swelling in his black silk boxer pants and noticed the stain coating them. _My delightful little Sookie, what have you done to me?_

Eric was a man of huge sexual appetite, and he found himself almost always ready and willing to engage in the act with any worthy woman he came across. But this, reaching his finish while merely dreaming of being inside a specific woman? This was new to him. A not altogether unwelcome development, he thought. Sookie really did have an excellent imagination and he thrilled at the idea that her dreams of him were so vivid and detailed. _She really does want me. Her body yearns for my touch, I can feel it._

He explored through his blood to find her and assess her feelings. She was moving. In a car most likely. And she was feeling... hot. Very hot. For him. His smile became even more smug. There were feelings of anger also present and he gave a low chuckle, knowing she probably longed to punch him just as much as she longed to sleep with him. Images of her naked body being caressed by his big hands came to him. _Yes she certainly has quite the imagination. _Her words at the end of her dream did not escape his notice either. Sookie had been about to tell him that she loved him, he was sure of it. Eric wasn't sure how that made him feel. He was wanted by just about everyone who came across him, but to be _loved?_ He hadn't come across that human emotion in over a thousand years. No longer sure how it even felt. He'd felt unswerving loyalty to his maker of course, but that was natural. There were feelings of affection too perhaps but love... no Eric Northman did _not _do love.

He resettled himself and looked around the dark room. His phone rested on the table beside his bed and his laptop in the far corner of the room sat on top of his work desk. Even Pam had never been down here before, this was his private sanctuary and thus, it was clean, though messy, and filled with his favourite books, dvds and most personal belongings. Amongst these was a torn and bloody shirt, several sizes too small for him, hanging from the handle of a large ornate wardrobe settled across the room. His eyes rested on it. He could smell her on it from here. He remembered pocketing this before Ginger, his human barmaid, had thrown Sookie's ruined clothes in the trash the night he had saved her life after being attacked. He'd been informed that they weren't any closer to finding whatever had attacked his telepath upon his arrival home and this bothered him greatly. Mainly because this caused him to worry for Sookie's safety, and he didn't care for the feelings this evoked in him. _Damn woman. _

A surge of horror and anguish surged through him then, drawing his attention back to his blood connection with Sookie. _Something has upset her very much. _He growled inwardly. Her despair was strong and he fought the urge to burst out from his safe haven and go to her. Killing himself would do her no good and really... _dying for a human? Me? After a thousand years of being strong and clever, survival my strongest instinct. To go out and risk myself that way for a mere breather? How... Inappropriate.._

Eric shifted on the bed as the feelings coursing through Sookie started to die down and he resolved to close his eyes and go back to his rest before he started to suffer. She seemed calmer now and he had plenty of time in which to find out who or what had upset her and it gave him an excuse to visit her tonight. Not that he needed one.

And so he succumbed to his death sleep and the last thought of the thousand year old viking vampire that day was of a beautiful little human telepath.

_**Three hours later...**_

Sookie stormed up her steps and unlocked her front door with a loud sigh. Not only was her brother a murderer, but her boyfriend was a jumped-up, grouchy ole jackass as well. Jason and that stupid girlfriend of his had kidnapped and killed a vampire. _Should've known Eric wasn't lying, he never lies to me. To the point of annoyance really. Except for faking his own imminent death to force me to take his blood. And even then he was honest about it straight after. Pig. _

Jason had told her everything on their way to drop him off. The conversation had went on for so long that the driver had to sit patiently outside her brother's house for an hour and a half while they argued. She was horrified with his story and furious that he'd been so stupid. Not only had he committed a serious crime, but he'd stood back and allowed his pyschotic girlfriend to murder what sounded to her like a sweet, lonely old man. Vampire or not. Stupid and selfish were the only words that could describe Jason. They'd parted on bad terms and she feverently hoped it would be a long time before she saw him again. _Lord knows why Eric hasn't chained him up in a basement yet. _

And as for Bill, she'd found a note from him tucked into the corner of her handbag as she routed round to find her purse. The driver had insisted that he was paid well and was not allowed to except tips, but Sookie insisted harder that she was raised better than that and she already felt guilty for making the man hang out like a spare part while she fought with her brother. He caved gracefully in the end and perhaps as a thank you, lugged her bag, which was a lot heavier coming home than it had been leaving, up to her front door. She absently thanked him and sent him on his way while opening her letter from Bill.

_Sookie,_

_I want to apologise for my actions this evening. As you will have noticed, I did not return to our room. I felt it best to give you some time to yourself and am currently in Jessica's room. I am truly sorry that I hurt you sweetheart, it is something that I never dreamed I would do and I can only blame Eric for this sour turn in our relationship. I do hope that you can forgive me, as I have forgiven you for your indiscretions towards me. I had already informed Eric that his contact with you will cease from now on before our fight, so let us not waste anymore time arguing about him. If you will permit it, I will call on you after dark._

_All my love, Bill._

"Well, that just. Well." She muttered angrily to no one in particular. _How dare he make my decisions for me! If I want to cease contact with Eric then I will do it myself! And as for forgiving me, well, he can stick that right up his..._ She was interrupted from her internal ranting by the sound of her phone going off. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled it out irritably and practically growled when she saw Jason's number flashing out at her. Sookie purposely hung up on him, then made her way into the kitchen. Grabbing the coffee pot and setting it up to make a fresh lot, she typed in Sam's cell number and listened while the call connected.

"Hey, Sook. I was beginning to think I'd never hear from you again. How you doin?" Came his friendly tone. She could tell from his voice that he was smiling. This made her smile too.

"I was gone for less than a week Sam, it was hardly forever." She told him lightly, his seemingly good mood was catching. "I'm doing just fine. How're you? Things been good at the bar while I was gone?"

"Well actually there's been a little bit of trouble around town Sookie..." his voice was abruptly grim and she was instantly worried.

"What's happened Sam? Are you alright?"

"Nothing big cher, really. There was a creature. A manaed."

"A what-naed?" she asked, completely confused. _What in the hell is a manaed?_

"That don't matter now Sook the main thing is that she's gone. But she left quite a trail of destruction behind her. I'm surprised you didn't notice on your way back into town."

"Yeah I was a little preoccupied." Now was not the time to start babbling about her brother. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked, fully aware that he'd refused to answer on whether he was alright or not. Which meant he really wasn't alright and Sookie hated to see her boss and friend upset. "I could come in to the bar if you need me..."

"No cher, thank you, but you go on enjoy the night and I'll see you tomorrow. I'm glad you're home Sook. This place just ain't the same without you." She smiled at that and after they'd said their goodbyes and repeated how good it was to speak to each other again, she hung up and poured herself a coffee.

She had no idea how long she sat at the table for, but when she looked up she saw the sky was beginning to darken. _Oh goody, time to face the vampires. _Deciding on a hot shower to help ease her now tense and slightly sore muscles, she headed upstairs.

Not bothering to lock the bathroom door, or pull the shower curtain across, which she later cursed herself for, Sookie turned on the shower and stepped in quickly. The spray of the water felt wonderful on her skin. As Sookie stood under the water, steam quickly filling the small bathroom, she felt more lighthearted than she had in a very long time, The song that had been playing in the Anubis car when she awoke from her dream must have entered her subconcious because she now found herself humming the tune to herself. She washed herself slowly, then grabbed her strawberry shampoo bottle. By now she was so cheered up that her humming had turned into all out singing, "_Ooooooooh, secrets that you keep. I've only got myself to blame, by playin' a losin' game. I lie awake and call your name. All I have is just a picture in a broken frame. It seems so hard for me to share. It's even harder now that you're, not, there. I'm losing sleep over the secrets, that you keep. I'm losing sleep over the secrets, that you keep. I lie awake at night, not knowing where you are, You know it don't seem right that you could be so far away from me. Oooh secrets that you keep...."_

"And I thought you only called my name when you were sleeping."

_Oh, my, God._

She froze. Knowing that voice instantly. Completely forgetting the fact that her bare ass (and everything else) was on show, she whirled around and threw her shampoo bottle at her intruder as hard as she could.

Eric caught it easily. His wide grin froze in place as he took in her naked form. He'd been thoroughly enjoying watching her ass move as she sang and swayed under the water, but as she turned to face him properly he was so stunned by her beauty that if he'd had breath it would have caught in his throat.

Sookie recovered from her shock pretty quickly. "ERIC! Get OUT of here!" She squealed at him.

He just stared at her.

"Eric, NOW!" She fumbled around for a towel. Once she'd found one she wrapped it around herself and stepped out of the shower. She was certain that her blush covered her entire body. She marched up to him. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing? Get out!" She pointed a finger in the direction of the door, glaring up at him.

Eric had finally snapped out of his stupor. He grinned at her. "Is that any way to speak to a concerned friend who only came to check on you?"

_Check on me?_ She snorted. "That's about the worst excuse I've ever heard. You're a sneaky big pervert and I want you out of my house right now!"

His eyes flashed. "You are absolutely right, I am a pervert." _And you rather like it if your dreams are any indication dear one. _"However, I did come here to check on you. Your, ah, pain, woke me from my slumber earlier today. I merely wished to see that you were alright."

"I-" She paused, looking up at him suspiciously. "That's actually kind of sweet Eric, but it's no excuse to perv on me when I'm trying to shower!"

"No, that was an added bonus. I am sorry I disturbed you." he told her, looking extremely not sorry. He let his eyes roam over her face. "Now, will you tell me what had you so upset this afternoon?"

Sookie sighed, "Can I get dressed first?" And moved to push past him. With one quick movement he'd grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him.

"I think not. Tell me what happened to you today Sookie. Who should I be killing right now?" He had no idea where that last sentence came from, but he realised that he meant it. He would take whoever had upset her and break them in half.

She jumped. "No! No killing! I'll tell you, I will. But only if you promise not to hurt anyone over me."

Eric pondered on this for a moment. "I will take it under advisement. Now tell me." He reached out to trail a single finger down her cheek.

Realising that was the most she would get from him, she sighed, swatting his hand away. "Fine. It's Jason. I asked him about that vampire you told me about and he..." she trailed off and looked up at Eric uncertainly. "Eric, promise me that you won't hurt him. He's the only family I have left."

He smiled at her. It was a frightening smile. "The single reason your worthless brother is still breathing is stood in front of me now. I will not harm him."

Sookie watched his face for any sign that he was lying, but she saw only truth shining out of his eyes. "Okay... He. He said. Amy, that's his girlfriend. Well was, she's dead now-" Eric made an impatient noise and she continued with a glare. "You asked, I'm telling. Anyway, she made him follow Layfayette to the- to Eddie's house and once he left Jason went to his door. Amy attacked Eddie while he was distracted and they took him back to _my parents house_," Eric felt the fury rise up in her as she said this, but said nothing. "To cut to the chase, they drank from him." There was now revulsion seeping into her anger. "And when Jason tried to let him go Amy staked him."

He watched her as she finished, intrigued by the little human in front of him, so furious and upset that her brother had done such a thing. _She really is something special. _"Thank you for telling me this Sookie. Is that the only thing that upset you today?"

"I- Yes." She told him. _No power on this earth will make me tell him I was even more upset because Bill told him to cease contact with me._

Eric frowned at her. "You are lying to me Sookie. Do not forget, I can tell." He felt her guilt and resolve through their connection.

"I am not."

Now he was angry. He pulled her roughly to him and glowered down at her. She immediately began struggling. The resulting commotion caused her towel to hit the floor and it was a testament to how angry they were with each other that neither of them noticed.

"Tell me what upset you Sookie." He growled at her.

_Well. If he thinks he can waltz in here and demand I tell him my private business he's got another thing coming. No power on this earth! _She reminded herself. "Why in the hell do you care about something that upset me?"

That stumped him. "I do not know." He told her honestly after a long pause. That just about did it for her. She couldn't help but feel a little hurt by that. Once again, she raised her hand and smacked him right across the face as hard as she could. _Ha! _She felt a smug sense of victory before Eric reminded her just who she was dealing with. She felt the floor move from under her as he grabbed her arms and lifted her by them to slam her into the wall beside the doorway. Just hard enough for her to have a sense of how badly he could hurt her.

Fear crept up her spine and she could only stare at him. "Eric... please." He ignored her. Staring at her through intense eyes he wanted nothing more than to throw her over his shoulder caveman style and carry her back to his lair to keep for all eternity. Possibly chained to his bed.

Sookie tried again. "Eric, you're hurting me. Please, let me go." That wasn't quite true, but she had the feeling he was deciding whether or not to cause her real pain and tried appealing to his decent side. The part of him that she suspected held genuine affection for her.

"I will let you go when you tell me what I want to know." The truth of it was that he feared her upset came from her dreams of him. That she despised him so much that wanting him made her feel desolate and disgusted. This insecurity towards her feelings for him was a vulnerability that only served to fuel his temper.

_Pig. Complete pig. I knew I hated him. _"Okay, fine." _Stupid, arrogant pig he'll love this. _"I was upset because I got a letter from Bill and he said some things that I didn't like. That I didn't agree with. Happy now?"

_No. Damn Compton. _"I see, And what did the letter say?"

_Oh boy. This is humiliating. _"I. It said that, that- It said." _Somebody just kill me now. _"It said- contact-between-you-and-me-would-stop." She said the words as fast as she could, completely shamed and hating Eric more than ever.

Eric paused, his hold on her arms loosening a little. "Say that again. Slowly this time." Some part of him was filling with happiness. A small part, but it was there and he couldn't ignore it.

Sookie growled at him, giving an excellent impression of a vampire. "I _said_ that the letter said contact between you and me would stop." She said between clenched teeth. "And now I have no idea why I was so bothered. Never seeing you again seems like a great idea to me. Best one Bill's ever had in fact."

A slow smile spread across his face. It was dazzling. She found she had to force herself to look away. And her eyes immediately found the crumpled towel that used to be covering her naked body. "Oh- Oh my- _Eric.." _

He was still smiling, "Something wrong dear one?"

"Give me my towel back right now. And close your eyes!"

He looked down. _Ah. _His eyes roamed over her again, taking in every inch. "You have a beautiful body Sookie, there is no need to hide it."

"Urgh." She pushed him away and he let her, now thoroughly amused. An eyebrow arched as he watched her bend down to pick the towel up.

"You have no idea how tempting a sight that is Sookie."

She snorted again. "Keep looking buddy cause it's the one and only time you'll ever get to see."

Eric laughed. _That's what you think lover. _He stepped over and took her hand before she could pull it away. His fingers brushed over the back of her palm softly and Sookie discovered that there was a direct link between her hand and her nub. She fought back a groan and looked away. Nevertheless, he felt her sudden arousal and it flared up his own again. He felt his cock twitch in his pants. "Why do you deny me Sookie?"

"I _love _Bill, Eric. I'm not the kind of girl who cheats."

He simply smiled. "If you love Bill so much, why does my very presence knock you off your feet? And do not bother lying, I can feel what you feel remember." His accent was becoming more pronounced by the second.

She echoed his words from earlier. "I do not know."

He smirked, Sookie was very good at these little verbal duels. He leaned down to press a kiss to her nose, feeling her heart speed up as he did so. He moved his lips to her forehead, then on down to each of her cheeks before going for her neck. "Ask me to stop and I will lover."

"Eric." _Whoops, that was NOT supposed to come out as a groan. What's wrong with me?_ "I think we should..." She was silenced by the touch of his cool tongue coming out to run across the sensitive spot just below her ear. Sookie shuddered, her entire body relaxing into his hold. _Oh dear God I'm behaving like a harlot. Tell him to stop! Just tell him to stop and he will, like he said. Just say it... But God it feels so good. How come Bill never affects me this way? _The thought of Bill brought her back to her senses. Eric could feel the sudden change in her and could guess what it was about. As she opened her mouth to speak, his lips claimed his in a kiss that blew every other kiss she'd ever had right out of the water. It was perfect. She found herself responding immediately. He groaned against her lips, pulling her closer. She responded in kind, the towel slipping back to the floor. He dipped her back and kissed her for all he was worth. The result was devastating. Her entire being felt as though it was on fire and she clung to Eric like a drowning person would a lifejacket. They could no longer tell where one began and the other ended, or whose body part belonged to who. The world was silent and they were the only ones in it just for that second. It was pure bliss. So caught up were they, that not even Eric noticed when another presence entered the bathroom. They were jolted back to reality when they heard a harsh whisper.

"Am I interrupting?"

Sookie jerked her head back in surprise and all she saw was a blurred shape racing towards them before the world went black.

**Well I hope you all liked it. As I'm sure you noticed I left out the majority of the Maryann plot. This was because I found it tedious enough to watch without having to write about it as well. Sorry to anyone who was expecting to see her. And I just want to apologise to any americans reading my story. I'm from northern ireland and I've only ever met New Yorkers and a few people from Michigan. I've tried my best to capture the proper dialogue for someone from the south so please forgive any mistakes. Till next time x**


	4. Chapter 4

**Secrets That You Keep Chapter 4**

**A/N = Hello again everyone. First I'd like to thank all the reviewers. I work hard at this and it's good to know that people are enjoying the effort. If I could reply to all of you and thank you personally I would, but unfortunately this site won't let me for some highly annoying reason. So thank you. **

**Second, I ask you all to bear with me through this. I pretty much was writing a one-shot story and had only planned out the first chapter. While doing so several plans came to me for further ones, but I'm working this as I go along and it's a new experience for me, the most writing I'd ever done before this was in roleplay.**

**And finally, it's taking a huge effort for me not to just type the words, "Take me you big viking sex god!" and have done with it, but I would much rather go at a slower pace. Among my plans I'm thinking huge betrayals, Bill's disappearence, more interaction between Layfayette and Eric as I loved that in the show, Pam and Sookie's friendship, possibly Eric's cursed time, fairy wars, vamp kings and queens, Eric and Sookie going to orgies together, fate, destiny, the possibility of a tragic ending...:P Actually I was considering ending with the final chapter being Bill and Sookie's wedding just to be cruel but I think I'd lose the will to live during its creation. Anyway, I'm welcoming opinions on this and I'd be happy to hear from anyone who thinks going for the long story is a good or bad idea. **

**And I've stopped rambling now I promise:)**

_This is the the part where my inexperience as a writer comes in. Unfortunately this chapter will either be a success or a total failure. Apologies ahead of time in case it's the latter. Enjoy._

Bill left his house that night feeling alot happier than he had since Dallas. He was certain that his note had had the desired effect on Sookie and now they could shut the door on Eric and get on with being together. _All there is left to do is find a way to keep her from the queen and then everything will be perfect. _

He strolled slowly across the cemetery seperating their houses, thinking hard about the situation he found himself in. The queen had assured him in a phone call he'd made before leaving his home tonight, that Sookie would always be permitted to continue her relationship with Bill, even after he'd presented her to his ruler. The queen merely wished to have full ownership of Sookie and exclusive use of her talent. She would be Sookie's maker, but Bill would be her mate for as long as he wanted to be. _For an eternity._ He'd thought to himself at the time. _An eternity and longer. Perhaps this can work out after all. Sookie need not know that this was the plan all along and I will have what I want. The queen will be pleased with me and Eric will find that Sookie is out of his reach forever. _The more he thought on it the more resolved he became to just let things unfold as he'd originally planned.

Now that his anger from the previous night had abated, he felt certain that Sookie's attraction to Eric was not as big a threat as he'd thought it was. _A few weeks, if even that long, of not seeing or speaking to him and I am sure he will fade from her mind. _With a new spring in his step, he reached her house and sprang up to her porch with a smile on his face. The front door was ajar. _She's forgiven me. _He thought, automatically assuming that Sookie had left it open for him. He entered the house quietly. As he made his way to the kitchen and found it to be empty, a sense of unease crept up his spine. The house was too quiet. She should be here, in the kitchen waiting for him. _Where is she?_ He started to call out to her and stopped abruptly when he heard a dull thud. Using his vampire speed, he was at the bathroom door in half a second and the sight that met his eyes made his gut clench in fury.

_His_ Sookie was stood in the middle of her bathroom floor being man-handled by his Sheriff. Bill's chest erupted in fury as he watched Eric lowering Sookie's hand and smiling at her.

"If you love Bill so much, why does my very presence knock you off your feet? And do not bother lying, I can feel what you feel remember." He heard Eric speak as though from far away. Anger raced through him with such force that he froze in place, still as a statue.

Some part of his mind was expecting furious denials and when her heard her reply that she did not know, something inside of him snapped. The queen had told him to deal with Eric any way he saw fit as long as he didn't kill him or reveal that she was involved in any way and that was all the justification he needed.

Speeding through the house, he arrived at the kitchen and silently opened a cupboard that he knew contained a pair of leather gloves. Sookie had told him before that they had belonged to her beloved grandmother, He pulled them on and headed for her bedroom next. He pulled open her closet and reached in to grab what he was looking for. Pulling out a jewellery box, he eased the door shut and emptied it onto her bedcover. Silver necklaces and earrings, along with a few silver bracelets tumbled onto the bed. Sookie had stored them away when she began dating Bill. He wrapped a few necklaces around his hands and grabbed a fistful of the rest. He kicked the box under her bed and gathered up the rest of the silver in his other hand. All of this had taken him mere seconds and when he headed back to the bathroom he saw nothing to ease his fury and jealousy. Sookie was now completely naked and clinging to Eric. He had his arms wrapped around her, holding her against him and they were kissing like the world was about to end.

"Am I interrupting?" he whispered harshly. They reacted immediately, Sookie looked up as he raced towards them but he only had eyes for his bastard Sheriff as he reached them and slammed his silver coated fist into Eric's chest. Eric let out a growl, the pain causing him to let go of Sookie and she crashed to the floor. Bill growled at his Sheriff, focused solely on him. A split second passed as Eric looked down at the unconcious girl at their feet, blood oozing out from under her head. Before he could react Bill was on him again, the silver allowing him to get the better of Eric. Bill shoved him from the bathroom and pounced on him, the silver burning every inch of Eric that it connected with. Of course Bill sustained a few injuries himself as pieces of jewellery flew through the air, loosened by their struggle. They made it to the front door, growling and swiping at each other.

Eric was putting up a huge fight. Despite the younger vampire's head start, he hadn't survived a thousand years without being extremely strong and skilled in battle. Bill reached up a silver coated hand to grab Eric's face and before he knew what was happened Eric had ripped the glove off of him and chucked it the the side. His strong hand grabbed Comptons and squeezed, giving a dangerous grin. Every bone in his rivals hand cracked open and Bill let out a howl of agony. In a second, Eric had the other glove off and he did the same to that hand before finally wrapping his hand around Bill's throat and growling. "You, Compton, are in serious trouble." Fear crept into Bill's eyes as he watched his Sheriff use his free hand to grab his surprisingly undamaged cell phone and make a call.

"Pam." Bill heard. "Come to Sookie's immediately. You will find Compton on the lawn with every bone in his body broken. Take him to Fangtasia and put him in our special room. I will see you there sometime before dawn." He slid the phone back into his trousers and turned his attention back to Bill, who now seemed to be coming back to his senses. The younger vampire watched Eric intently, waiting for the punishment about to be dished out.

To say that Eric was furious would be a massive understatement. He felt every inch of himself pulsate with anger. He wanted to rip Bill Compton to shreds. Slowly. But first he had to see to Sookie. _If she is not alright... She is.. She will be fine... If she is not... _As the fear that thought had inspired shot through him, he swiftly broke the rest of Comptons bones, ignoring the agonized shrieks coming from him. He then dragged him out to the front lawn and dumped him there. He heard Sookie say his name and against his will his chest tightened with a feeling he was unable to identify. Glaring down at Bill, he spoke softly. "You will meet your end tonight Billy-Boy." He told him. Then he straightened. He heard Sookie cry his name out, and felt the worry and terror start to rise in her. His anger towards Bill hit a new level at this and he lifted his foot and smashed it into Bill's face, knocking him out. Then he sped into the house to go to her.

* * *

A faint dripping sound was the only noise to be heard in her house as Sookie finally came to. Looking up, she saw that it was the shower. So she was still in the bathroom. And lying in a heap on the floor. _Nice. _

She attempted to sit up and regretted her action immediately. A sharp spike of pain erupted in the back of her head and her hand automatically went to investigate. The makings of a huge bump was already starting to swell from her skull and when she pulled her hand away she found it was covered in blood. _Oh great, Sookie got injured again. I should be getting danger money for being around vamps. Speaking of vamps... _"Eric?" she called out. Now that she was coming round from her haze of pain and confusion, panic was beginning to rise. Where was he? She knew enough about the viking pain in her ass to know that he would not have left her out cold and bleeding all over her bathroom floor unless he'd had to.

Trying hard to remember what had happened, she gave a start as their kiss, and the blur that had so rudely interrupted them came flooding back. _It's alright. Do not panic. First I'll get up, and then I'll go look for Eric. Everything will be just fine. There is no reason to be scared. _Even as she tried to convince herself that there would be a perfectly simple explanation for all of this, her fear was steadily growing. _What was that charging at us? Was it Bill? The creature that attacked me before? And where the hell is Eric?! _

Taking it very slowly this time, she sat up. Her ears were ringing and her head swimmed dangerously, but she made it to her feet holding tightly onto the shower curtain. "ERIC!" She called again, this time allowing her growing alarm to seep into her voice. _Fudge. _This was bad. If he didn't come while she was calling for him like her life depended on it, _and let's face it, it probably does,_ then he wasn't going to come at all. She attempted to walk and stumbled forward into the doorway.

Sookie closed her eyes as she felt herself fall and braced herself for the inevitable crash. But it never came. She suddenly found herself in someone's arms and being swept up into the air. Her eyes flashed open to be met by Eric's furious stare. "Are you alright?" He asked her quietly, carrying her through to her bedroom with vampire speed and sitting down on the bed with her tight in his arms. She eyed him blearily. "Ask me again in a fortnight." She told him. He laughed, but there was no humour in the sound. "Fucking Compton." He growled, watching the blood seep from her head onto his jacket. He laid her down carefully on her bed. "Oh so that's what you were doing." She commented. The joke went down like a lead balloon and she knew it, although Eric graced her with a brief smile. "I am going to give you my blood Sookie, and I want no arguments. If you do not heal soon your life will be endangered."

She opened her mouth to protest until she caught the expression on his face. He looked murderous. "Eric, what happened? What did Bill do?" He ignored her question, sliding his jacket off and moving onto the bed beside her. Gently cradling her injured head, he lifted her back into his arms, paying no attention to her indignant protests. Now that she no longer had her fear as a distraction, the pain in her head was quickly becoming unbearable. So when Eric bit into his wrist and offered it to her, she surprised him by instantly latching on and sucking hard.

When she'd had enough, he gently pulled his wrist away and wrapped his arm around her. "I'll fucking kill him for this." He muttered. And she understood that he was talking more to himself than her. Feeling better already, sure that she'd stopped bleeding, she looked up at him properly and gasped as she took in his appearance. There were burn marks all over his clothing meaning that he'd been attacked with a lot of silver. She frowned, touching his chest gingerly, fingers hovering over a particularly large mark. "Eric, what the hell happened?"

He looked down at her, debating whether to take the time to explain before he went off to tear Compton to shreds. Literally. It was her eyes that did it. There she was, looking up at him, all sorts of different emotions playing across her face. Pain, which made him even more furious, confusion, worry, which both insulted and pleased him at the same time, he was a thousand years old and the likes of Bill Compton would never stand a chance against him in a fight and yet, the fact that she was concerned for his well being made him feel good, the feelings she evoked in him with just the simple act of caressing a place he'd been injured so tenderly, so innocently... But most of all it was her expression of starting to calm that was the deciding factor. Her eyes watched him, softer than he'd ever seen them before. There was no fear or dislike or mistrust towards him in them. He was making her feel better. His presence brought her some form of comfort and he was loathe to part from this softer, more trusting Sookie who was looking to him to make everything alright. For reasons that were unknown to him, his urge to see to _her_ well being was stronger than his urge to kill.

She'd watched his internal debate silently, finding herself as fascinated by him as he seemed to be by her. Her fingers stilled on his chest and she shifted slightly to curl into his body as his arms tightened around her. _When in Rome. _She told herself. Not one part of her felt any guilt over her actions. Bill had done this, she knew that much even though Eric had yet to explain what had happened back in the bathroom and where he'd been. Bill had hurt both Sookie and Eric, and though he had good reason to be upset with them, it didn't give him the right to go around half - killing folk. Besides, she knew damn well that once Eric returned to his normal self the tenderness he was showing her now would fly out the window, so she wanted to enjoy every second of it while it lasted.

He trailed a hand up her back slowly, trying to soothe her while he told her everything that had happened while she was unconcious. He had to pull her back to him when she sat up indignantly after he explained how he'd dropped her as the silver had weakened him with pain. "You mean this is _your _fault?" she'd huffed, pointing at her head. He shot her a glare as he folded her up in his arms again and went on with his story. By the time he was finished, her eyes were wide with horror. _What on earth possessed Bill to attack Eric like that? He's his Sheriff for goodness sake! I know he must have seen us kissing but that's no excuse to behave like an animal. _Whatever had gotten into her boyfriend, Sookie didn't like it. Bill was a grouchy bastard, and sometimes downright cruel, but the violence he'd shown over Eric this past couple of nights had left her in shock. That wasn't the man she had fallen in love with and for a moment she wondered if jealousy could possibly be the only reason for his actions. It just seemed so unlikely.

She half-heartedly considered asking Eric what he thought, but he'd now started stroking her hair in silence and it was relaxing her to the point where she started having trouble keeping her eyes open. She gave a soft, sleepy moan and let her eyes drift close. _Just for a minute. _She told herself. _Then I'll ask him and find out what he's gonna do to Bill. _In mere seconds, she was sleeping like a baby.

Eric felt her drift off and continued stroking her hair absently. His mind was miles away. Well, precisely 20 feet away, in Sookie's bathroom. His mind was repeating the kiss they'd shared before Compton had come blundering in to ruin the moment. He wondered what would have happened if Bill hadn't shown up. Despite the protestations of Sookie last night about not being a cheat, she certainly seemed to have trouble resisting Eric's advances. _She definitely wants me. _He thought smugly. He held her close with one arm and shifted them so that he was lying back against her pillows and she was tucked on top of him, curled into his chest. _I could get used to this. _He shocked himself with this thought. Of all the beds he'd been in and all of the women he'd had in his arms, there were none that he hadn't immediatley lost interest in once he'd released his sexual frustrations. He certainly never stayed in a bed with one long enough to just _hold _one while they slept. This girl was becoming an obsession for him and it was one he needed to break as soon as possible. Feelings of caring or tenderness only served to make a person weak. Just as his caring for his maker had caused him to be weak enough to cry and plead in front of a human. And to offer to die with him...

His heart almost broke again as he thought back to his final moments with Godric and he unconsciously tightened his arms around Sookie. He didn't think he'd ever forget the look on his makers face as he asked him to let him go, even if he lived a hundred thousand years. It had been like staring into the eyes of a stranger. The vampire he'd known had changed completely. And it had almost killed Eric. His only comfort that night had come from her. The way she'd taken his hand and reassured him that Godric would not die alone. In all his thousand years he'd never experienced a kindness like it. As he'd left the roof that night he'd collapsed inside the door and listened to them talk. A pang of affection towards Sookie brought his eyes down to her sleeping face. She'd given so much comfort to Godric. Consoled him with kind words about God and his forgiveness, and then stayed with him while he burned, though it must have been terrifying to witness. A single bloody tear rolled down his cheek and he wiped it away quickly. Now was not the time for reminiscing. Nor was it the time for cooing over a human girl that hated him. He slipped away from under her, pausing to gently settle her on the pillow he'd just vacated.

Then he pulled on his jacket, and with a final glance at the beautiful woman who'd turned his world upside down, _you WILL be mine Sookie Stackhouse, _he flew out of the house and up into the sky.

It was time to deal with Compton.

_A/N - Well I hope you enjoyed it. I wrote three different versions of this chapter and finally managed to produce this final one. I argued with myself over whether to post it or not, but here it is, if you like it great, if not sorry. I'll try to do better with the next one._

_Thanks again to all the reviewers. I just want to answer a couple of comments that were made since I can't do it personally. They do air True Blood here yes. We're part of the UK and we get all the UK channels. They've aired it on a cable channel called FX and a few months later they aired it on Channel 4 as well. I have read the Sookie books yes. Loves them:). I'm glad they're together too, but with 4 more books to come, god only knows what the lovely Mrs Harris will do to our favourite couple between now and the last book._

_I'm so glad someone else pointed out what an abuser Bill is! I mean come on, he fed from her forcefully, he cheated on her, took her innocence because his queen TOLD him to seduce her and he even tried to rape her! And the old, I had no control over my actions bit pisses me off. How many violent husbands have used THAT one before??_

_If I could kiss all the reviewers I would, so count yourselves lucky I'm stuck in ireland:Plol_

_Thanks to all of you once again. Till next time x_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N - Sorry for giving such a short chapter last time and this time. I'll try to keep the updates coming fast and keep them long-ish. Remember though that christmas is coming and between my niece and nephew and my own little one I have an awful lot of Spongebob and Bob the Builder merchandise to track down in the next week so I probably won't be updating every single day over the holiday period. I was thinking of doing you all a one-shot christmas piece based on this story but a stand-alone fic. Let me know what you think. **

_Thanks once again to the reviewers, you really make writing the thing worth the large amount of effort put in. _

_Again I went out of my depth with this one. I need the relationship with Bill to be tied up so that I can shamelessly hurl Sookie into Eric's path so bear with me. I'm introducing elements from the books into the story so please keep that in mind if you haven't read them all before reading on. Hope you all like this one. _

She'd woken slowly, noticing with a pang that Eric was no longer in the bed with her. _Missing the viking... huh... must have hit my head REALLY hard. _Looking over at the clock on her nightstand, she saw that she'd only been out for an hour, two at most. It occurred to her to just roll back over and go back to sleep, but a sense of unease had started to build in her and it took a few seconds more to realise why. _Bill! Oh god what's Eric gonna do to him? _

She jumped up, now thoroughly healed and rushed into the bathroom. Quickly washing her face and brushing her teeth, then moving back to her room to dress in a hurry. She had to get to Fangtasia, find Eric. She had a feeling that Bill had used up his last chance with his Sheriff and no matter what he'd done she couldn't stand by and just let him die.

Deciding to call the bar, _won't do any good if I show up there and there's nobody there, _she went to the phone and flicked through her little address book for the number of Fangtasia. Grabbing her cell phone, she punched in the number, already on her way to her car when it the call connected.

"Fangtasia, the bare with bite. How may I **serve **you this evening?" Drawled an unfamiliar voice.

"Hello, this is -" she had been about to tell the stranger that she was Eric's telepath and demand to be put through to him straight away, but that would only give Eric time to think of some manipulative and unshakeable reason why he simply had to murder Bill. "A friend of Eric's. Is he around this evening? I'd simply _love _to come by and catch up with him..." she hoped feverently that her attempt at a husky sex-starved fangbangers voice sounded genuine.

"The master is busy in his office and is not to be disturbed." Came the cold tone down the line. "However if you are in need of some **assistance**, please feel free to drop by. I am sure somebody here would be willing to accomodate you." _Okay, eewww... the husky tone was a little too much for this guy. _

She ended the call. _Alright, Eric is at Fangtasia. For now. If I can get there in time I might be able to talk him out of hurting Bill. Though lord knows how... _Her face flushed as she realised she'd most likely have to bargain with him. And she just knew exactly what he would want from her in exchange. Trying hard not to find that thought appealing, she drove faster than she was used to and silently started to thank god that the roads were empty at this time of night.

Twenty minutes later she pulled into the parking lot of the bar. Subconsciously, she ran her fingers through her hair, making sure she didn't enter the club with bed hair. Climbing out, she rushed to the door ignoring the stares of the few fangbangers hanging around outside the place. She was too worried to be concerned about her lack of suitable clothing for the vampire bar. Jeans and her favourite red sweater had been the first items of clothing that she had found in her hurry, so it had been them she'd thrown on. There was no one at the door and she swiftly entered the bar, shields firmly up against the human thoughts.

A wall of leather covered breasts was suddenly in front of her and she looked up to see Pam smiling down at her. "Sookie. How nice to see you again." Eric's child was a beautiful, albeit sarcastic woman. But her smile was all vampire as she took in Sookie's appearence. "You look delicious as ever, although you are dressed somewhat contrary to our dress code. I can assist you with changing into more suitable attire if you wish." Her fangs ran out.

_She spends far too much time with Eric. _Sookie plastered her _I'm terrified of you but I don't want you to know it_ grin on and replied. "Thanks Pam but I'm not staying. I just need to speak to Eric -"

Pam just smiled again. "Eric is busy at the moment." she told her, clearly expecting Sookie to give up and leave. She didn't know Sookie very well.

"I don't care how busy he is Pam, I need to see him. I'll wait." She didn't want to stay here any longer than she had to, and she needed to see him asap, but that wasn't looking likely. Smiling at Pam again, she added. "Besides, I need to use the ladies." With that she turned and headed for the bathrooms, leaving a smirking Pam behind her. Making a show of walking through the door to the womens restroom, she waited a second or two and then walked out again, this time going the opposite direction. _She did not see me, she did not see me, she did not see me. _Sookie chanted to herself as she walked quickly. She'd only been in Eric's office once but remembered how to find it. Creeping up the the door as silently as she could, Sookie contemplated storming in there and demanding to know what was going to happen to Bill.

Self preservation crept in. _Who knows what's behind that door. It could be Eric and some fangbanger for all I know. _An ounce of jealousy shot through her at the thought. _He wouldn't be happy if I disturbed him, and I'm definitely sure I don't want to see. _Resolving to take a quick listen in at the door and hot-foot it out of there if she heard even the slightest moan, she stepped close and pressed her ear against the door. What she heard filled her with horror.

_"....because he was ordered to be. His return to Bon Temps was ordered by our queen, as was his entering a relationship with the bloodbag. Mr Comptons objective all along has been to eventually hand the girl over to her majestys ownership.."_

The voice drifted out and Sookie's entire body filled with pain instantly. _Bill. He was... he was ordered... hand me over... queen..._ She stumbled back from the door blindly, tears rapidly spilling down her cheeks.

The need to get out of here, escape this feeling of total heartbreak, overwhelmed her and she ran back through the club, straight into Pam. The vampire grabbed her arms to steady her, smiling. "Leaving so soon Sookie? Did something frighten you in the ladies room?" Sookie stared up at her, eyes burning. "Let me go, I have to go. I have to..." she trailed away, looking around like a lost child. Pam released her arms and without even looking at her Sookie fled the club.

She fumbled in her pocket for her keyring to unlock the door. _I can't believe he... he was ordered to be with me so he could hand me to some queen? _Fresh tears splashed onto her hands as she started shaking uncontrollably. The keys hit the ground as her body gave way and she leaned against her car for support as waves of pain rushed through her. Suddenly she felt arms come around her and she knew instinctly who it was. Unsure if she would've fought him even if she'd had the strength to, she simply buried her face in his neck, another round of sobbing beginning.

* * *

Eric arrived at Fangtasia in full Sheriff mode. He strode through the employee entrance, face blank, to be met by Pam.

"Eric." She bowed her head respectfully. While she got away with things others would be killed on the spot for, she knew when to behave herself. Mostly. Her master was not going to be happy with the news she was about to give him and she didn't want to rile him unnecessarily.

He simply nodded at her. While Eric prided himself on his constant appearance of indifference, he found his control slipping tonight. "Pam. How is our prisoner doing?"

"He's in your office. Andre is there also, he wishes to speak with you."

Eric quirked an eyebrow at her. When he spoke, she noticed his voice had reached dangerous levels of coldness. Which meant certain death for the next person who pissed him off. "I told you to secure him downstairs. And why is the queens bodyguard with him?"

"Andre arrived a few minutes after Compton and I. He insisted that I leave the lowlife in your office with him." She said, only confirming Eric's own conclusion. "He seems to think that the queen would rather see to Compton's punishment. It would appear that he contacted her by phone before I arrived at the telepaths home."

_Fucking Compton. _"Very well Pam, see to the bar." With a nod she was gone and he walked to his office slowly. _Why would Bill contact the queen? I am his Sheriff and he attacked me, I have every lawful right to rip his head from his shoulders. And to send her own personal bodyguard... it would seem that whatever Bill is upto, Sophie Anne is in on it as well. _

A fresh rush of anger carried him through the door of his office. He saw that Bill was laying on the leather sofa adjacent to his desk, groaning pitifully. Andre had evidently been pacing the floor awaiting his arrival. With a nod towards the now still vampire, he crossed the floor and strolled behind his desk to sit down. "Andre." He said after a slight pause during which the two vampires appraised each other, open dislike showing on their faces. "To what do I owe the pleasure? Does the queen have need of me?" He openly smirked, watching the disgust grow on Andre's face as he took in the meaning of Eric's question. The queen thoroughly enjoyed having the viking around for more than just his good leadership skills and jealousy was eating at her devoted bodyguard and child. Eric suddenly felt himself begin to cheer up.

Andre glared at him. "I have come on the queens behalf to investigate the matter between yourself and Mr. Compton here. He informs me that while he did attack you, he did so in defence of his human. He claims that you were attempting to feed from her. Is this correct?" He asked in a brusque tone. Eric leaned forward in his chair, his clear blue eyes shining with malice in Bill's direction. The subject of his piercing stare had enough shame to look down. "No, this is not true. I was _not _attempting to feed from his human. I was attempting to fuck her." Bill gave a strangled growl at this deliberate goading and Eric smirked again. "I believe Bill's anger lay in the fact that my attempt would have succeeded had he not attacked and injured us both." Andre's gaze shot to Bill at this, "You injured the telepath?" Eric's eyebrows almost hit the ceiling, _The telepath? How does the queens little pet know about Sookie's gift? _and he spoke again while Bill practically shrank into the sofa.

"Since Bill has not bonded with the girl I have broken no rules. And even if he had, as Bill's Sheriff I have the right to take her if I please, you and the queen know this, so if there is nothing else I would like to get on with serving Mr Compton his punishment.." He'd risen from his chair, challenge clear in everything from the tone of his voice to the way he stood.

"I. Yes... Well..." Andre was clearly stuck for words. Eric grinned at him, every inch the predator. Sophie Anne was foolish for sending this idiot. This may be easier than he had expected. He crossed the room and grabbed Bill by the throat, fangs showing. However, the queens bodyguard had finally found his voice. "By order of the queen, Mr Compton is to be escorted to her compound to be dealt with." Eric dropped Bill back down onto the sofa and turned to growl at Andre, "I am fully within my rights to kill him now despite what the queen orders. If I wish to take this to the magister I am certain he will agree." He wasn't the only one certain of that. Andre's eyes had widened.

"Her majesty requests that she be allowed to deal with this matter. Mr Compton is providing a valuable service to her at the present time and if he were to meet his final death she would be most upset." She'd instructed him to tell Northman only what was necessary to make him hand over Compton and it was looking like it would be necessary to tell him everything. She would not be pleased. "Bill is... Needed. To secure the telepath for the queens use." _What? Bill is securing Sookie for the queen? _

"I see." Eric shot a look at Bill. "That may prove difficult. Bill is quite possessive of his human. He most likely would not share her with the queen in any case. Therefore I see no reason to grant her request."

Andre gave a light chuckle. "He is so because he was ordered to be. His return to Bon Temps was ordered by our queen, as was his entering a relationship with the bloodbag. Mr Comptons objective all along has been to eventually hand the girl over to her majestys ownership. I ask you one final time _Sheriff_, will you object to your underlings punishment being carried out by our queen or will you not?"

A blow to his stomach with a giant boot made entirely of silver could not have caused the sudden wave of agony that swept through his entire body. Confusion clouded his face for a long moment. _What the...? _Then comprehension dawned. _Sookie. _He reached out through their blood connection and felt it again. And before he even checked it to see where she was he knew that she was in his club. Had just been outside the door of his office listening. _Fuck. _Not knowing why he felt the overwhelming urge to go to her, he snarled in Bill's direction, "Get him out of my sight and inform the queen that he is no longer permitted in my area. Leave through the back entrance." He'd barely finished his sentence before he was out the door and speeding through the club, both his eyes and his sense searching for her.

He found Pam first, managing only a growled, "Sookie?"

"She's gone. In a foul mood might I add." Pam looked amused.

Eric turned and sped outside at vampire speed and immediately spotted Sookie. She was slumped against her car, the keys lying on the ground at her feet. The sight almost undid him from the inside out. _Fucking Compton! _In seconds he was behind her, lifting her into his arms and taking off with her into the sky.

**See you next time everyone x**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N - Thanks once again to the wonderful reviewers. **

_This chapter is a little different than the others. We see a much more vulnerable side to Eric which I hope doesn't offend anyone. I will write him as __**I**__ interpret him. Even vikings have their weak moments. In Sookie and Eric, if the damn writers had done their jobs properly, there is a connection beyond her physical attraction to him. (which was SO not because of his blood no matter what the whiney little skit tells Bill. Sorry, anti-Sookie today:P she was hard to write.) Anyway, there was, I felt a chance for them to bond a little with the Godric storyline and maybe we'll see that in the third season. Anyway, I digress. This is a man who is not only newly obsessed with a human girl and having it lorded over him by the lowly Bill, but his maker, the only thing he's truly cared about in a thousand years, has just killed himself. Even a vampire would need a kleenex or six methinks. Eric is in new uncharted territory and I don't think it's realistic not to acknowledge that in him. Don't worry though, our bad ass viking will be back to form in no time!:)_

Sookie felt herself rising into the air at great speed. It brought an abrupt halt to her sobbing. Clutching Eric's shoulders tightly, she stared at him in amazement. "You can _fly._" She told him as though this would be brand new information to him.

"I sincerely hope so, or we are about to plummet 100 feet to the ground." he deadpanned, unsure of what to say to her. Eric Northman did not do emotions, nor did he have the first clue how to deal with them in others. Especially not the hysterics of a broken-hearted human girl.

She gave a small snort. Any other night of her life she would have been thrilled. Life didn't get much better than flying through the beautiful night sky in the arms of the hunk who haunted your dreams.

Silence fell between them once more and Sookie managed to keep a tight reign on her urge to burst into more hysterical crying, Eric could feel her struggle and because her tears both frustrated and infuriated him, was grateful beyond measure that she kept ahold of herself. And more than a little proud. She was a fighter, just like him. _My little human warrior. _

Sookie had no idea where he was taking her, and she didn't care. _Bill told me he loved me. I gave him my virginity... my innocence. And it was all for a lie. _Her relationship with Bill had cost her a hell of a lot, but she'd blindly accepted it because he _loved _her. _Everything he ever told me was a lie. He was just what - training me up to be the perfect little pet for some vampire queen? _A fresh stab of pain hit her chest and she found herself having to clamp her teeth down on her bottom lip to stop a howl of misery and anger escaping. Still Eric said nothing. He simply tightened his arms and she could swear she felt him drop a kiss to her head.

A few minutes later he landed, keeping her tightly against his chest and she didn't ask him to put her down.

They were inside the grounds of a sprawling estate. The main house - mansion, was huge. The entire building was painted white. It looked magnificent. This most be his home. No one else would live somewhere so grand. So... showy. She looked up at him, eyes rimmed with red. "This is _Beautiful. _You live here?" she asked him.

"Yes," he was relieved with her choice of topic. "Few know exactly where I live. Though this compound has 24 hour security, those of us of standing in the vampire community cannot afford to be too complacent in matters of security." He heard Sookie mumble something even his vampire hearing couldn't pick up. "What was that?"

She flushed. _Covered in tears and in a total mess and she's still beautiful.. _He raised a hand absentmindedly and brushed her hair back from her face. Her heart fluttered. If she hadn't been so upset other places would have too. _I am a shameless hussy._

"I said, I don't think there's anyone who could attack you and win." She told him quietly. Eric was the strongest vampire she'd ever met, and thanks to him and Bill she'd met plenty.

He grinned at her. "You flatter me Sookie. Of course you are right."

"Smug bastard." she grumbled half-heartedly

Chuckling, Eric made his way into his house, carrying her bridal style across the threshold and straight up the large winding staircase directly in front of them. All of the bedrooms in his home were naturally set up for visitors although Eric had never entertained anyone other than Pam. He liked his privacy. He carried her into the largest guest bedroom and she gasped in surprise as she took in her surroundings. This room was at least four times bigger than the biggest room in her house. In the centre of the room was a four poster bed literally fit for a queen and there was a white sofa in one corner, in front of a huge wall-mounted television, and in another was the largest wardrobe she had ever seen.

He took her to the sofa and only then did he let her go. Setting her down carefully, he immediately sat down beside her. "Sookie... are you alright?"

She shrugged, staring at the floor. "He was going to hand me to some queen like I'm a cheap toy he didn't want to play with anymore."

Eric felt her heart break all over again. His fangs popped out. Self control was never something he had a problem with, but right now every instinct in his body cried out for bloodshed. Thankfully Sookie didn't seem to notice. She was still staring at the floor. He was saved from having to find a reply when she spoke again. "I didn't even know vampires had a queen."

"There are several kings and queens in our world Sookie. The territories are divided up and they each rule over their own seperate kingdoms. Directly below them are the Sheriffs. Compton never told you about this?" This was the wrong thing to say. She promptly burst into tears.

"He never told me anything about his world. I only knew you were a Sheriff cause I practically forced it out of him the first time I came to Fangtasia. Anything else I knew I found out by accident."

Eric reached out and pulled her into his lap. She instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest, sobbing hard. Though he was finding this new clingy Sookie more accepting of his attentions, at the moment he would have given his corvette for the old fiesty Sookie he'd grown to be pleasantly exasperated by, back. Her pain was driving him crazy. It was mixing with his own and causing his chest to constrict in unfamiliar and unpleasant ways. Standing with her in his arms, he carried her over to the bed and gently put her under the covers. There was a chair beside the bed and he pulled it up close to sit down. Reaching over to take one of her hands in his, he said softly, "I wish there was something that I could say to help you Sookie. Compton is a bastard and he **will **pay for the pain he has caused you."

Sookie looked down at his big hand holding hers and sniffed. "Why would he do this to me? He said he loved me." She looked up at Eric's beautiful face. In his eyes was a pain that mirrored her own.

"I believe that he does love you little one. You must understand that if the queen orders one of her subjects to do something, they have to comply or face certain death. I am not excusing his actions in any way. This is the truth of our world. Very few vampires view humans as little more than glorified slaves. If they want something, they take it. That is the way things are." He told her matter-of-factly.

Sookie glared up at him through wet lashes. She yanked her hand back and sat up. "Don't you give me that philosophical bullshit Eric Northman! That's exactly what you're doing. Making excuses for the monsters. I know why people join the damn Fellowship now! They warned me. Everyone warned me about getting involved with vampires. They all said you people care for nothing other than yourselves and they were RIGHT." She ended up yelling. Eric flinched, but she wasn't finished yet. "I hate you all. I wish I'd never met any of you. Godric was right, you shouldn't be here. You're not right. You're just MONSTERS wrapped in pretty packaging all of you!"

He reacted with force. She should not have mentioned Godric. Before Sookie realised what was happening, she was lifted from the bed none too gently and slammed against a wall with a furious and out of control viking hovering over her. It was emptiness, total numbness in contrary to the raging anger of just seconds before and not bravery that caused her to whisper, "Go on. Hurt me. Do it." _Make me feel something other than this empty ache. Please. _

Eric was still. His hands gripped her arms with bruising force, his eyes glaring into hers. For long moments neither of them moved.

Sookie recovered first. _He's looked after me, brought me to his home and I insult him and his maker in return for the kindness they've both shown. Bill did this. Bill and his fucking queen. This isn't Eric's fault. He didn't do this to you. _She told herself.

"He's taken everything." she whispered. "I lost... Everything. Because of him. Eric..." his eyes were still blazing into hers, every inch of him fighting for control. "I'm sorry, Eric. I didn't mean it. I. I lost it. Godric, he, I never should've..." Tears were silently making their way down her cheeks and she slumped, his arms the only thing holding her up. "Oh god I'm sorry." Guilt hit her like a ton of bricks and her face screwed up in misery. And it wasn't just over Eric and Godric. Every single thing that had happened to her since she'd met Bill came rushing back to her all at once and the pain was so great she felt like she would die from it.

His anger abruptly abated, Eric wrapped his arms around her and held her against him like a small child would their favourite teddy bear. Sookie gripped his shirt and tucked her face into his neck. "I'm sorry." she whispered again. "I'm so sorry." Eric quickly realised that she wasn't just talking to him anymore.

"Sookie," his voice sounded soft, hoarse. "None of this is your fault."

"Yes it is." she replied. "Gran, poor Tina... I was so... Happy. I'd finally found a man I could be with without being bombarded with his private thoughts and his secrets. Who didn't think I was a freak and wasn't afraid of me." She managed to choke out through her sobs. "And I was so selfish I never stopped to- My gran loved me my whole life, she was the only person who ever did. She defended me when people picked on me, she fed and clothed me, she taught me everything I know that's worth anything, everything decent and good in me came from her and I got her murdered. The only good thing in my life was murdered because I was dating a vampire and even then- even then... I didn't stop. And it was all a lie. I lost everything I had for a lie."

Eric tightened his arms around her and she cried harder. They stood that way for several long moments before Eric spoke. "Godric meant that to me. That and more. He taught me everything. He took pride in me like I have never witnessed in another for their child. And when it mattered." His voice actually broke like it had on the roof the night his maker had met the sun. "When it mattered I failed him." It cost Eric more than Sookie would ever know to say those words. But this was the one and only time he would ever have the chance to. He was with the one and only person who had even a slight notion of understanding what he was feeling.

Sookie pulled her head back to look up at him. His face was wet with blood tears. She moved both of her hands up to wipe them away tenderly. Then she raised up on her toes to kiss both of his cheeks, lips brushing lightly over his cool skin. He closed his eyes.

So much of his life, or rather, his living death had been rocked to the core lately and a lesser being may have faltered completely. Since meeting what he secretly referred to as his woman, he'd felt at odds with himself, out of balance. Godric's suicide had made things a billion times worse. Eric's entire world had been thrown out of sync and even a thousand year old viking warrior needs to accept some form of comfort on the odd rare occasion. At least that's what he told himself.

He finally opened them when Sookie spoke, her voice strong. " You didn't fail him, Eric. He was proud of you until the very end of his existence." His eyes searched hers. She wasn't just being kind, she feverently believed what she was saying. "I didn't know him well, but I knew that just by looking at him. He didn't choose to die because you somehow let him down Eric. He chose to die because he was ready to. You did for him the best thing you could have done. You placed his own needs above your own no matter what it would cost you. He was prouder of you than I could ever explain." Sookie was proud of him too and it shone out of her. She had her hands either side of his face, staring into his eyes, willing him to believe her. He couldn't help but give a slight chuckle, sensing what she was doing. "You do know that humans cannot glamour vampires don't you Sookie?" She gave him a watery smile.

Half angry with himself that he had shown emotion to a human, and half amused by it, he picked her up in his arms again and brought her back to bed. This time when he went to settle her in she shook her head. "Stay with me? Please." she asked him. She did not want to be alone tonight, and in truth, she would not have swapped his arms for anyone else in the world at that moment. She needed Eric. More surprisingly perhaps, was the realisation that he seemed to need her too. He just nodded and climbed in with her. Once they were under the blankets, she curled into his chest like she had at the start of the evening. It was hard to believe so much could have happened in one night.

"I wish," she told him quietly when they were settled, "I wish that you had just stayed with me earlier."

Eric's reply was silent. _So do I dear one. So do I. _

Dawn was swiftly approaching and she stifled a yawn, hardly able to believe she could possibly sleep after everything that had happened. Yet Eric had started to stroke her hair again. _Damn man must have magic fingers. _And she felt herself start to drift. There would be time for tears tomorrow.

"Eric?"

"Yes Sookie?"

"Will you stay with me? Is it safe?"

He smirked, mask almost entirely back in place. "Safe for me or safe for you little one?"

She laughed sleepily. "I'll kick you for that tomorrow." He laughed out loud. "For you of course." She told him.

He turned his lips into her hair, "Every room in this house is light-tight. Go to sleep little one. You will feel better when you wake."

She doubted it, but for a little while at least, she wanted to forget it all and simply rest. And thanks to Eric, that's exactly what she was able to do.

* * *

Sookie woke in a tangled mass of limbs. Five minutes of scratching an itch on her left leg, to no relief, passed before she realised it was Erics thigh her nails had been scraping lightly. Her head turned automatically to look at him. His eyes closed, his body completely still. He looked like a corpse, albeit a stunningly beautiful one. She reached out a finger to trail down his cheek, half afraid he would wake up and catch her. Feeling slightly silly, she mentally shook herself, _he's dead for the day, if I climbed on top of him now and rode him all the way to sundown he wouldn't budge. _At that thought her eyes drifted downwards and sure enough he was well prepared for such an occurence. The size of him, she could clearly make out. Sometime during the night he'd ridded himself of his clothing, leaving only a pair of red silk boxers covering his extremely large modesty.

Hot bubbles of desire rose somewhere in her center and she quickly looked away. Back up to his face. Safer that way. Her finger resumed its tour of his features, moving slowly over his flawless skin. When she reached his lips, she slowed down even more. The finger traced lightly around them before sweeping across his bottom lip. Sookie remembered their two kisses with a shudder. And then she did something really stupid. She leaned down and touched her lips off of his softly. That feeling of oneness came over her again, erasing the dull aching pain in her heart that had been waiting to spring forth into full agony. He was pure perfection. _When he's sleeping. _She smiled a little sadly and spoke without ever realising or remembering that she'd even opened her mouth. "Oh Eric. Why didn't I meet you first?"

She settled back down, tucking her face into the crook of his neck, and Eric's eyes flashed open.

**A/N Ooooh did he hear her? How badly did she want to try out her sundown theory? And how is Eric going to keep her from the queens clutches? Will he risk punishment for knowingly bonding himself to her when he was fully aware that the queen planned on taking her for herself or will he abandon her to the wolves (well, vampires) just when she needs him most?** **Find out after christmas... Hehe kidding, I'm in one of those moods. I had to cut this chapter short as there's alot more to happen between now and the queens entrance to the story and this chapter was in danger of becoming a mile long. Enjoy, next one will be up soon x**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N - Well here you go. I hope it's to everyones liking. I have a fair idea now where I want to take this story, but I have no idea how many chapters that will take to accomplish. I feel as though 7 chapters in we're not even starting with the story so it's probably gonna be a long one. Some might not like this chapter. I freely admit I got carried away, but now I've written it I fully intend on sticking with it. This chapter needed to happen to push the story forward. But just so you know, everything that happens in it happens for a reason and I promise you that Eric and Sookie haven't just turned in to Mills and Boon characters. We'll soon find out why they feel and behave the way they do around each other. **

_As always, let me know what you think. Enjoy._

Eric lay there beaming. After she had fallen asleep last night, he'd moved only once from her arms to take his clothes off and hers. He'd thought that she would have a typical Sookie hissy fit when she woke if she was naked, so after letting his eyes drink in her form for a moment, he'd sped downstairs to get her something. A shirt of his of course. She hadn't even stirred when he'd put it on her. There were no words for what he had felt as he watched her curled up in his arms wearing his clothing. _She __**is **__mine. She __**will**__ be mine._

Instinct told him to alert her to his conscious presence by flipping her onto her back and throroughly claiming her body. But something inside of him paused. This was not the time, no matter how much he may want to. Sookie had trusted him last night, and she had defended him to Bill. _Progress that I may undo if I take her now while she is vulnerable. _

Her words ran through his mind. _She wishes she had met me first. She does not realise it yet, but her heart grows warm towards me. _

His deep-rooted vampire instincts again ordered him to just take her as he felt her fingers dance across his chest. They seemed to be moving in a pattern. He bit back a growl as they began to travel downwards sweeping slowly around his stomach and then finding the trail of light blonde hair just above the hem of his boxers. Her hand came to a halt. She twirled the hair between her fingers, inhaling a breath.

Eric fought to control himself. The fact that Sookie's rising curiosity and lust were currently rushing through him did not help. _She wants to look. She wants to slip her hand inside the fabric and feel my stiff cock in her hand. Why Ms Stackhouse, you naughty girl. _This side of her pleased him very much. Inquisitive, yet innocently reluctant... Extremely turned on, yet hesitant to relieve her lust by taking advantage of him.

Watching her hand inch towards the hem of his boxers, he marvelled both at the conflicting feelings inside Sookie, and at the thrill of excitement and lust that was definitely his own tearing through him. He hadn't felt such heat in centuries. Sex, pleasurable though it was, had lost its sense of excitement a long time ago. When any woman at any time is willing to do anything you wish her to do sexually a bit of the fun goes out of discovery and intimacy.

Yet here was this woman who claimed to hate him, sending sparks of anticipation through him like he'd never felt before. _And she hasn't even touched me intimately... yet.._

Eric decided to make his wakefulness known. It would soon be sundown anyway, and he did not think he could fight his urges for much longer. _Once I take her completely this sense of urgency will pass and I will be able to think of something other than her naked body and what I wish to do to it. _

"Sookie.." he knew it came out as half a growl, but that couldn't be helped.

Sookie froze in place. _He's awake! Fudge. Does he know what I was thinking about?_ She looked down and saw her hand was now resting on the top of his boxers, just above his concealed penis. _How did that happen? _She asked herself distractedly. All she could focus on in the moment was Eric. More specifically, what she would like to do to Eric. And have him do to her.

She ought to be embarrassed, and she ought to look up at him and say something, and she really, really ought to remove her hand from atop his only item of clothing. But she didn't. Instead she slowly and deliberately slid her fingers just inside them.

"Sookie.." Eric said again. This time definitely a growl. Heat rushed through his body at her actions.

"Sssshh..." she told him. "...I'm thinking."

_This woman is going to be the end of me._ "What are you thinking about?" he asked in a strangled tone.

"About all the reasons why this is a very bad idea." she was frowning to herself.

Eric replied sharply. "Then perhaps you should remove your hand before I lose all control and fuck you senseless." he said. Honesty was the policy after all.

Sookie merely shrugged. She slid her hand lower, fingers coming into contact with his now throbbing cock. He hissed. "That's the problem," she said slowly, turning her face into his chest and pressing a light kiss on his skin. "I really don't want to..." And she didn't. There wasn't one inch of her that didn't want this.

Her fingers stroked his cock gently, head to base, and then closed around it. She started to pump him hard, all sensible thought going out the window.

He groaned deeply, hips twitching up off the bed. "Sookie... there are... things... we... we... have to... discuss..."

"Sssshh, later." she told him. She sat up, only then discovering that he must have changed her in the night. She had her panties on and a dark red t-shirt that must have belonged to him. She made a mental note to yell at him for it when she was feeling more like herself again.

Knowing full well she was behaving rashly, and may not have done it had her world not turned upside down last night, she still could not find any part of her that was willing to stop.

Her hand moved faster on his cock, Eric groaned her name again. She felt a jolt of pleasure as he did so. His arms tightened around her.

Feelings of utter bliss were shooting though him, and any inclination to stop her for her own good went straight out the window as she let go of his cock and wiggled to climb on top of him.

He stared up at her, awed by the sight of his fiesty little telepath clad in his shirt and rubbing herself against his pulsating cock. His hands travelled up her sides and in under the t-shirt and he watched, hungry and fascinated as her head tilted back in pleasure. He felt the wetness of her panties start to soak through his boxers and it was his undoing.

He grabbed hold of her non too gently and flipped them over. She lay underneath him panting, staring up at him with that same trusting expression from the night before. Lust darkened the expression now as he reached between them and ripped first her underwear away, and then his own. His t-shirt came next and he dipped his head down to kiss all over her beautiful breasts, his cock pressing against her thigh. "Eric..." he heard her groan. "Please.." He sucked a nipple into his mouth and flicked his tongue over it before biting down.

A thrill of pleasure that overwhelmed her entire body shot straight through her when he did this. Her hands found his hair and gripped hard. His hands roamed her body, touching, it felt to her, every inch of her.

"Eric... I want you. Now." The words were like music to his ears. He slid his body up, his cock finding her soaking entrance immediately. His eyes raised to meet hers and their gazes locked as he pushed himself inside her slowly, both moaning in rapture at the same time.

Sookie's entire being filled with exquisite pleasure like she'd never felt before. She stared into Eric's eyes, clear blue oceans that threatened to drown her. As he buried all of himself inside her, Sookie's eyes squeezed shut. He really was huge. She'd never been stretched so far before. A hand settled gently against her face. "Sookie... don't close your eyes. Look at me." So she forced them open, widened them when she started to relax around him. Never had anything felt so right. So perfect. He trailed his fingers across her cheek and started to thrust, causing both of them to cry out in deep pleasure.

He watched her face every second. _Mine. _The feeling of their bodies joined completely was one of utter bliss. The world held only Eric and his woman and everything in it was perfect. Every inch of him tingled with need for her even though he was already inside.

They writhed against each other, each lost in their own haze of pleasure and lust, yet never taking their eyes away from each other. He held her to him as tightly as he dared, which was probably still too tight, but Sookie didn't seem to care right now. He thrust in faster and harder with each stroke, neither of them were going to last much longer. This moment had been anticipated for too long, yearned for from the second their eyes had met for the first time.

Faster and faster he went, her nails tearing shreds from his back, their moans filling the room around them. The pressure of their releases building to an almost unbearable peak - when Eric's phone started to go off.

He froze inside her. "Fuck." Sookie stared up at him.

"You're kidding me. Eric, ignore it." She wriggled, doing dangerous things to his composure.

"It's the queen." He said quietly. She instantly came back to earth. With a rather large bang.

He pulled out of her and moved to grab his phone from his trousers where he'd thrown them on the floor the night before. Sookie sat up on the bed, mind whirling.

Eric grabbed his phone, looking up at her before he answered it. "Bathroom?" Was all she said. He pointed to a door in the room she hadn't noticed the night before and slid his phone open. "Northman." He said by way of greeting, eyes following her all the way. She'd wrapped the sheet around her body, he noticed sadly before turning his attention back to the caller.

Sookie entered the bathroom and closed the door. She locked it for good measure, knowing he'd hear the lock click into place and wondered what he'd make of it. She moved over to the large ornate bath and sat down on the edge clutching her sheet around her.

The entire bathroom was decorated in white and there was both the bath and a huge walk-in shower in the room. Her eyes wandered to the sink and she noticed that there was a brand new toothbrush in the holder. She didn't know what to make of that. A pang of jealousy hit her as she wondered if he kept new ones here for _all _of his overnight guests. She imagined opening the door of the large cabinet (apparently Eric just didn't _do_ small, in any sense of the word), and being hit with a hundred brand new toothbrushes still in the packaging raining down on her head. A wave of hysteria hit her and she stifled her giggles.

When she calmed down she immediately wished she hadn't. Now that she was on her own she had time to think and none of her thoughts were good. She thought of Bill and a sense of fury and agony, so powerful that it scared her, rose in her. She thought of Eric and her face flushed. She was both disappointed and relieved that they'd been stopped. And completely embarrassed at her behaviour. _What on earth came over me? _She asked herself. _Definitely not Eric. _Sookie started giggling again at her own joke. _Oh he must be fuming! All that work to get my panties off and he didn't even get to finish. _She covered her mouth quickly as her giggle had suddenly become an all-out laugh.

Too much had happened to her lately and perhaps she was having a breakdown, but she could not stop herself laughing. For a full ten minutes she sat in the bathroom and laughed her head off. When her laughter died down, she got up and walked over to the shower. Turning it on and checking the temperature before going to the sink.

She brushed her teeth slowly, watching steam from the shower slowly begin to fill the room. As she brushed she began wondering about the queen. _Why in the hell would a vampire queen want me? And more importantly, how did she find out about me in the first place? And what's going to happen now... Bill obviously failed. Will she try to take me by force?_

Finished with her teeth, she headed back over and stepped into the shower. The water felt amazing and she stood under it for a long time, until Eric knocked on the bathroom door. "Sookie, we need to talk." he called softly. "I'll be right out." she called back, flush creeping into her cheeks again.

With her head somewhat cleared by her shower, she was hit with the realisation that she was, in fact, in Eric's house, _naked_, having just had sex with him. _Fudge. _

She grabbed a towel from the rack beside the bath, and wrapped it tightly around herself. She then grabbed the sheet and wrapped it around her too for good measure. _That's right Stackhouse, cover up your girly bits AFTER you've shown him them in great detail. There's girl power for you._

Sookie braced herself and unlocked the door. As it swung open she spied Eric lying on the bed still completely naked. _Oh... My... _"Eric!" Her hands went to cover her eyes. "Cover yourself up please."

He raised an eyebrow at her but pulled the duvet over himself nevertheless. "You were enjoying the sight of me uncovered not so long ago little one."

She ignored him. "Are you covered yet?"

"Yes Sookie. Now come here, we need to talk."

She peeked through her fingers to make sure he was telling the truth and he laughed out loud. Finally satisfied, she moved over to the bed. She eyed him warily. "What is it?"

He looked up at her and held his hand out. Sookie hesitated. _Oh hell. _She took his offered hand and let him haul her up onto the bed. He was on his side and he pulled her against him, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"How did you know it was the queen? On the phone I mean." she asked him.

"The ringtone." When she looked nonplussed he elaborated. "All of the important numbers in my phone have their own ringtone. Pam." He told her as if that explained everything. "It comes in useful so I left it that way."

She peered down at him. "What's my ringtone?" She had to hold in a laugh at the look on his face. Eric was cute when he was confused. "You said all the important numbers in your phone have their own ringtone. What's mine?"

He shifted, eyes not quite meeting hers. "You don't have one." _There is no way I will tell her which song Pam selected for her number. _"We have things we need to discuss Sookie. The queen wishes to meet with you." Sookie visibly flinched at that and he tightened his arm around her.

"Do I have a choice?" she asked him quietly.

Eric watched her carefully, he knew she was close to breaking point. Her emotions since she'd entered the bathroom had been in such a whirl he hadn't been able to tell them apart. He cursed the queen and Bill Compton. "Yes. You can choose to ignore the summons and we'll both be in trouble, or you can come with me to her compound tomorrow evening."

She sighed angrily. "So no choice I want to take. At least if you get to hand me to her like a good little Sheriff you'll save yourself any trouble. I don't like either. I think I'll just go to the police. I've had enough of this. Damn vampires thinking they can own me, or USE me for their own amusement and convenience.." At this, she shot a glare down at Eric, then continued. "I'm not a fucking library book!" Hot tears had started to spill over her cheeks and she pushed his arm away. "I'm going home. I'm going home and calling Sheriff Dearborn and then I'm going to move to Alaska and never even look at another vampire again." She climbed off the bed and marched towards the door. Eric's eyes followed her every move but he didn't give any reaction to her words.

As if an afterthought had occurred to her, she turned to him halfway across the room and muttered, "Thank you. For looking after me. And for-" she trailed off. "Everything. Goodbye Eric." She turned around again and he was on her before she could make another step.

Sookie gave a loud squeal as he picked her up and literally threw her over his shoulder. She pounded her fists into his back. "Let me go ERIC! Put me down! NOW!" He completely ignored her. Eric carried her over to the sofa and threw her down. He was growling. _She will __**not **__leave me. _He kneeled down and held her in place by grabbing her hands in his. "Let me GO Eric."

"No." he said simply. While she silently fumed at him, he reached out to trail his fingers down her cheek. "Sookie, the police cannot help you. Any who even try to investigate will simply be glamoured. This is a vampire queen we are speaking of little one. She has sources and authority everywhere in her territory. Bill has given you his blood, he will be able to find you wherever you go. As have I. If the queen orders me to find you through it I can hardly refuse her. These are your only options Sookie. We do not have time for you to fight this. Tomorrow evening you will be presented to the queen. Whether you go in protected or not is up to you." He felt her begin to numb as she stared at him. While he was glad her anger was fading, the dispair she was feeling had him forcing his fangs not to emerge.

"Protected?" she asked in a small voice. "Protected how?"

He paused before replying. If he put it to her the wrong way she would be lost to him, and her own life, forever. "Sookie, the queen wishes to keep you as a pet and eventually turn you. You would spend forever under her control, as her slave." Eric watched her take this in, then continued. "The human police cannot help you, and the vampire hierarchy will hardly take the side of a human in this matter." The tears were flowing freely from her now and she didn't even try to hold them back. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead in a very un-Eric-like-way. He went to go on, but Sookie cut him off.

"I'd rather die. Drain me. Stick a large knife in me, I don't care just kill me. I will _not _spend eternity chained to some vampire queen." she whispered.

Something deep inside of Eric snapped. He hauled her back into his arms and held her against his chest. "I will **not**." Once again he found himself holding a sobbing Sookie Stackhouse against him. "I can protect you Sookie, if you will let me."

"How?" Was his only response. Somewhat muffled by the fact that she'd all but implanted her head into his bare chest.

"If we go before the queen with you as my bonded, she will have no choice but to let you go. A vampires bonded is highly regarded in the supernatural world. No other vampire would be able to touch you without my permission, even the queen."

She finally looked up at him. "What would being your bonded entail?" She was having visions of being chained to Eric's side and following him around like a lapdog. And it was _still_ infinitely preferrable to the other option of being a slave to some unknown vampire royalty. Though... not by much.

"We would share a blood bond. Stronger than the one we have now. If we mutually feed from each other three times the bond will be formed. I will still be able to sense you emotions and know where you are, but the bond will be stronger. You will be able to feel my emotions if I choose to open the bond."

Sookie narrowed her eyes at him. "Is that all?" He looked at her innocently and nodded. Too damn innocently. But what other choice did she have? _None. Damn vampires. _"Will it work?" she asked him. "Will she leave me alone if I do this?"

Eric rubbed his hand up her back slowly. "In truth Sookie, she may decide to punish me for going against her wishes and take you anyway. It is a risk, but it is the only way." What he left unspoken was that it was the only way for him to keep this beautiful and infuriating woman by his side.

She was touched. _He'd risk himself to protect me? __**Eric**__ would risk being punished to keep me safe? _Staring up at him, she asked softly, afraid of the answer. "What would she do to you?"

He felt her fear and once again was floored by the emotion this human had risen in him. She was not even concerned for herself if his plan failed. He pulled her tightly against him and murmured, "Nothing I could not withstand." He lied. Sophie-Anne would stake him on the spot if she chose to punish him for bonding himself to the human girl she so desperately wanted for herself. Though he doubted seriously that she would. He was too valuable an asset to her. But Sookie did not need to know that.

"Okay... I. Okay we'll do it." Sookie said quietly. "If it's my only choice we'll do it."

Eric smirked at this, "You know many women would sell their soul to be bonded to me, yet you act as though it's a chore."

Sookie sniffed. "Yeah, well.. many women are insane."

He shifted her round so that she sat facing him, legs either side of his body. "We need to drink from each other."

She looked uncertain again. "I. Okay." She looked to him and watched as he raised his wrist to his mouth, fangs extending, and bit into it. He then held it out to her and waited. She stared at it for a moment, then looked up at him. Their eyes met. She nodded as though to herself and latched on to his wound.

Eric watched her, lust quickly rising. He swept her hair from her neck and leaned down. Without hesitation, he sank his fangs into her neck, shuddering at the taste of her. He heard her moan softly and it only served to spur him on. _She tastes like heaven... pure perfection... _His excitement quickly made itself known. He pushed his hips up, grinding his now fully erect cock against her.

Sookie felt herself begin to tremble, his blood actually tasted good to her. She found herself responding to his movements, her fear and worry once again melting away as Eric became the only real thing in the world. Sucking at his blood, feeling him drink from her, was one of the most pleasurable experiences she'd had. Second only to making love to him and by the way he was growling and groaning that seemed to be next on the agenda.

When he'd finally had enough, he pulled back, licking the wound shut. He eased his wrist away from Sookie's mouth and they both watched as the fang marks closed.

"Wow." Was all she managed.

"Wow indeed." He crushed her lips with his, his hands moving to tangle roughly in her hair. She was intoxicating to him. In 1000 years he had never found anything he wanted as much as he wanted her. _Mine. _He thought, not for the first time that evening. _Finally mine.._

But was she?

_In a forest 100 miles away from Shreveport, a beautiful but not young man and a striking, but not beautiful woman were stood in front of a large version of a campfire. _

_"Has it begun?" The man enquired of his companion._

_The woman nodded. "Her heart yields in her state of turmoil and his soul responds although he understands not why."_

_The man turned to her and smiled. "Then the time approaches. Prepare yourself for war m'lady." _

_She simply smiled. _


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N - Back again. This one is longer than the others I think. Our couple's little interlude continues into this chapter, and was good for their bonding (and I don't mean blood), but they have a queen to confront and and mysteries yet to be solved and real lives to get back to. Please keep in mind that while Eric is relatively soft with Sookie while she's playing right into his hands, and of course, when she's hurting, his instincts are vampire. I've already said that he's scripted as an evil bastard, which is contrary to the Eric Northman character in the first place in my opinion, but he IS a devious bastard. I see a huge difference between the two discriptions. He'll do whatever he has to do to get what he wants, which is Sookie. The last chapter he was soft, because she practically jumped his bones. This won't always be the case. **

**Thank you to my lovely reviewers, your kind words keep me writing - and I mean that. My mother always said I was too sensitive to be a proper writer. **

**Enjoy. **

Sookie pulled back, breathless. "Eric, don't you think there's other things we should be doing?" He merely growled and pulled her close again. "Seriously Eric. Shouldn't you be at Fangtasia? And I need to get home..."

"You are not going anywhere. Pam can deal with the bar for tonight." His fingers were trailing up her back and his lips had started doing very distracting things to her neck.

She tried again. "Eric you'll be gone tomorrow night too and I need something to wear if I'm gonna be meeting royalty..."

"Pam has dealt with Fangtasia for longer than two nights before and I will buy you something to wear."

Sookie's face darkened. "You_ will not _buy me anything and I really do need to get home."

Eric pulled his head up to glare at her. "Are you giving me orders little one?"

She folded her arms across her chest and glared right back at him. "You're damn right I am. I want to go home."

"It is not safe for you to go home at the moment Sookie." He was speaking to her as though she were a small child and she did not like it one bit.

"I'm as safe at home as I am anywhere, Eric. Vampires can only get into my home if I invite them and I may be stupid sometimes but even I'm not **that **stupid." she told him stiffly.

Eric knew what she was doing better even than she did. She was second-guessing herself, pulling back from him and the intimacy they had shared. "I will not allow you to run from me Sookie." He spoke softly, and she recognised the danger in his tone. _And once we are bonded I will not __**allow **__you to feel the urge to get away from me. _

"I'm not running, I'm saying that I need to go home. I need to check in with my friends and explain to my boss why I didn't show up for work today and then I need to work out what I'm going to wear tomorrow night and _then_ I need to sleep. This is all happening too fast I just need things to stop for a little while." Sookie looked down as she finished. Running from him was exactly what she was doing and they both knew it.

Eric, however, wasn't about to let her go. "Alright, I shall drive you home and if you insist upon staying there I will stay also." She opened her mouth to protest and he glared right into her eyes. "This is non-negotiable Sookie. Vampires cannot enter your home without an invite, but they **can **find ways to lure you out of it. You will not leave my sight until the bonding is complete and we have met with the queen."

She shrugged, knowing it was the best compromise she was gonna get from him. She slid off his lap and got to her feet, pulling the sheet with her. Noticing as she did, that Eric was glaring at it as though it had offended him somehow. She looked down and her eyes immediately found his utterly naked body. _Oh boy._ "I think I need another shower," she mumbled.

He followed her gaze and smirked, purposely choosing that moment to reach down and give his cock a squeeze. Her mouth dropped open. "Now I most certainly will have to guard the shower." He told her, referring to their conversation back in Dallas.

"Eric, I-" she began, looking back up at his face, just as he began licking his lips. She felt dazed. _I'm going to hell. _"Yes Sookie?" he said her name slow, let it roll off of his tongue. In a thousand years, kissing wasn't the only skill he'd perfected. _Sneaky big..._ She stared at him, heat flooding her body. _Wow, is that the blood or is it just him? _She actually craved him. In that moment she didn't just _want _him to touch her, she _needed _it. It was as though she would die if his hands weren't on her in the next two seconds. He looked as though he felt the same. _Well. Two can play that game Mr Northman. _

Sookie smiled brilliantly at him. And dropped the sheet. His eyes widened and she bit her tongue. "Well then... _bodyguard_..." She stepped back and slowly unfolded her towel. She let it fall open and then dropped it to the floor to join the sheet. Trailing a finger down between her breasts, all the while moving slowly back towards the bathroom. "You can _protect _me anytime you like." She moved her finger down her body and between her legs and rubbed her nub, a flicker of pleasure shooting up her spine. His mouth was the one dropping open now. She'd reached the bathroom door now and pushed it open with her free hand. "Eric..." she groaned. He moved to stand and she grinned widely at him. "From **this **side of the door." With a loud giggle she whirled into the bathroom and slammed the door shut, locking it instantly. Even with his vampire speed, Eric didn't reach it in time to stop her.

Face to face with the closed door, he heard her giggling like a loon. "Sookie..." he growled. "If you do not open this door I will break it off." She only laughed harder.

"This is your house Eric, you don't seriously expect me to believe that you'd break it do you?" she called out airily. He smirked at the closed door. Turning to lean against it, he heard the shower turn on. _Ms Stackhouse you are in serious, serious trouble. _

Sookie stood under the water once more and closed her eyes. She just needed to catch her breath, come to terms with all that had happened. Plus, she enjoyed teasing Eric, to the point where it made her behave rather childishly. It felt as though they were normal lovers, playing and fighting and then playing some more. Unfortunately, Eric and Sookie were **not **normal lovers, not any kind of lovers really, and she had seriously overestimated his tolerance towards teasing. She'd just begun soaping her body when the door exploded open and she found herself pressed against the tiles in a flash.

Her squeal of surprise and protest was immediately snuffed out as Eric's lips began assaulting hers with ferocious intensity. It was all she could do to remain standing. His arms came around her waist and an involuntary purr escaped against his lips. _Oh god. I'm definitely going to hell. _

Eric pinned her against the tiles, flames of utter need spreading throughout his body. He flicked his tongue into her mouth, groaning at the taste of her. _She is perfection. _With a growl, he released her lips and kissed his way down her throat, smirking at the feelings of raw hunger coming from her.

Water poured over them as Sookie clung helpless in Eric's embrace, heat that had nothing to do with the shower taking her over. That feeling of being one with him and only him came over her again. It was odd, but she didn't dwell on it. The huge viking now plunging a finger deep inside her wasn't giving her a chance to think about anything. She groaned his name, hands gripping his shoulders and her bodies urges took over completely as she reached between them and grabbed his erection firmly. His groan sent a shock of excitement through her.

Eric pulled his finger out and locked eyes with her as he brought it up to lick away her juices. Sookie all but collapsed in his arms as her legs went to jelly. They stared at each other for what felt like lifetimes. Sookie whispered, "Eric..." she gave his center a last stroke and then let go. Bringing her hand up to his face, she watched as his eyes bored into hers, clearly waiting for something. "Now." Was all she said before her legs were wrapped around his waist and he was pounding into her.

Neither had ever felt pleasure like it. He buried himself in her over and over while she clawed at his back, her lips trailing up his shoulder. "Sookie..." he growled close to her ear before biting into her pulse. This sent her over the edge and she gave a strangled cry as her pleasure center exploded. Her cries only served to fuel him further as she tightened and trembled around his cock. Eric slammed into her with a roar as his own climax erupted forth. He spilled himself deep into her shaking core, growling softly. Sookie pulled his face back up to hers and kissed him deeply, every inch of her burning for him.

"You're gonna need a new door." she told him breathlessly. He pulled his head back to look at her and his laugh was just about the most beautiful sound she'd ever heard. Still chuckling, he lowered her back to the floor and replied. "Entirely worth it." She smiled at that. _Definitely an ego boost when a man like Eric tells you it was worth the destruction of even a small part of his home to touch you. _

They finished their shower slowly, taking it in turns to wash each other thoroughly. Which of course led to less innocent activities. He'd taken her twice more in the bathroom and then one more time back in the bedroom before she managed to convince him to let her get dressed. Discovering that her clothes were unfit for wearing, she'd ended up draped in one of his huge shirts and a pair of his shorts that she had to roll up several times around her waist before she was able to walk without them falling down.

Having the distinct feeling that he enjoyed seeing her dressed as a clown, which was how she felt in her over-large outfit, Sookie was less than thrilled when two minutes after disappearing to dress himself he'd walked back in the room looking stunning in a low slung pair of dark jeans and a seriously muscle defining vest. The leather jacket she loved on him was slung over the sofa. She considered burning it.

Eric did indeed enjoy seeing her dressed in his clothes, but not for the reasons she was huffily suspecting. He'd been pleasantly surprised by the rush he had experienced seeing her clad in his clothes again. _How does the woman manage to look so invitingly sexy and yet so sweet at the same time? My property, in my clothing... perfect. _

That protective urge rose in him again as he realised that Sookie would soon be faced with the queen. If he knew Sophie Anne, she would make sure that Compton was there as well. In that moment he would've killed them both if they'd been near. He finally had what he wanted, Sookie, in his arms, his bed, his power. And he had the sinking feeling that it was not going to last. He had done a good job of keeping her mind away from the pain and fear of the last two days, but sooner or later that was going to catch up to her. _Who knows how she will react? I will have to show patience. She may try to run from me and I will not allow it. Now that I have had her she __**will**__ be mine. She is already mine, whether she realises it or not she has been mine since the moment I set eyes on her. _

"Sookie, we have only a few hours before dawn. If you wish to return to Bon Temps we shall have to leave now." He said, noting that she jumped at the sound of his voice.

She'd been curled up on the sofa, occasionally throwing dagger glares at Eric's black leather jacket and thinking hard about her situation. Not only had she lost her first love, she'd discovered that he'd been lying to her all along, had tricked her. And now she had literally thrown herself at the man she would swear she hated with a fiery passion not three days ago. _And he's incredible._ She thought. _Really, truly incredible. I thought Bill was good in bed... but Eric is something else entirely. And he's been so sweet, so caring. Not at all like the Eric I thought I knew. Maybe it's an act. Or maybe I've been wrong about him all along. After all, how many monsters would put themselves at risk just to protect me?_ None of it mattered right now though. Her wonderful two nights with Eric were also the two most painful nights she'd experienced and had come about because of the mess she now found herself in. A mess she saw no easy way out of. _And if by some miracle we both survive tomorrow night, how am I EVER going to be able to look him in the eye again?_

When he said her name, she jumped and gave him a curt nod. "Okay." _Time to face the real world. _She didn't even bother pretending to herself that she wanted to leave this beautiful house with it's beautiful owner. _Still, least the beautiful owner will be with me. _The thought that Eric would be with her through all of this cheered her up immensely. At least she wouldn't be alone, and if she could pick anyone to be on her side in a fight, she couldn't have imagined a better ally and protector than a ruthless, thousand year old, viking warrior vampire.

Eric, apparently having felt the slight change in her emotions, looked down at her curiously. "What has made you happy?" When Sookie looked confused he went on, "You were saddened, and a little embarrassed. Afraid, and apprehensive. but now you are feeling resolved and... Happy. Why is that?" He looked fascinated when she blushed at his words.

"I just.." She shrugged, loathe to give him any more power over her than he already had. But he would know if she lied, she realised, so she put her head down and mumbled, "I'm resolved because I have no choice in what I have to do tomorrow night and there's nothing I can do to change it so I just have to get on with it, try to salvage what I can. And..." She looked up at him once, then at the floor again. "And I realised that as protectors go I couldn't have asked for a better one than you. I. I know that I'll be safe with you no matter what happens tomorrow." He actually beamed at her, though she was still studying the carpet and missed it.

"You trust me..." his tone never once betrayed the utter elation he was feeling. She had given far more away with this sentence than she realised she had. She was actually _trusting _him to protect her from the danger she had to face. It made her feel good to know that he would be there with her. In two short days her feelings towards him had changed completely. _No matter what I __**will **__keep her out of my queens reach. _

She looked up at him sharply, "I never said that Eric. I know you will protect me. I know that and I won't deny that it gives me comfort. And I won't say that I'm not grateful for it, but that doesn't mean that I don't know why you're doing this." She ignored his raised eyebrow and carried on, "You want me, you want to use me the same way that she does. Just because we.. well- you know... it doesn't mean you're any different than her. You're just the lesser of two evils. Literally." She stood as she finished and watched him defiantly, eyes daring him to disagree with her.

Eric smiled at her, but he didn't disagree. "We shall discuss this later. For now we need to leave." With that, he abruptly lifted her up and flew from the house.

They landed outside Bill's house twenty minutes later. Sookie had fallen asleep with her head on Eric's shoulder sometime during their flight and groggily opened her eyes to feel his lips press into her forehead. She almost smiled before she spotted the house in front of them. "Eric what are we doing here..." Apprehension filled her. _Why take me here? Is Bill inside? I KNEW I hated Eric! _She struggled in his arms and he let her wriggle from his grasp. While she opened her mouth - about to hurl several obcenities that would have had her gran turning in her grave - Eric raised a finger to her lips and spoke quietly, "Bill is not here. We are here to check on Jessica and inform her that her maker will be absent." _Ah. _"Oh."

Sookie hesitated as he started for the front door. "I. You know, I think I'll scoot on over to my house while you speak to her." Without waiting for an answer, she turned and practically fled across the cemetery between hers and Bill's home. He didn't follow and drag her back, as she'd half expected him to. Her thoughts were with Jessica as she walked the short distance home. The poor girl had been murdered because of Sookie and now she would probably either lose her maker or Hoyt. Jessica had grown close to him and it pained Sookie to think that she would be the reason for more of the poor girls pain. If, as Eric had told her, Bill had to leave his area then he could either force Jessica to come with him or leave her behind on her own. Either way the girl would lose. Guilt cut through her and it was only the shock of what she found waiting for her at home that stopped more tears from springing forth...

* * *

Eric made his way quietly into Comptons house. He was keeping a close check on Sookie through their almost complete bond just in case. Having debated simply forcing her to stay at his side, he'd resolved to let her go since he was close enough to be with her in seconds if she needed him. Compton's annoying little girl was to found lounging in his living room. As he watched her he almost felt sorry for her.

Until she opened her mouth of course.

He informed her as quickly possible that Bill would be gone for a time and would contact her when he could. Knowing he was scaring the hell out of her, he enjoyed reminding her to behave herself and pointing out the consequences of not doing so.

Of course her incessant whining had begun the moment he had ceased speaking and Eric, whose temper was on a short leash already, was frightening her to within an inch of her life when he felt it. Sookie was shocked. And then happy. And then at once utterly broken with pain. Jessica was dropped unceremoniously to the floor and Eric was across the graveyard and at her front door in less than a second.

* * *

She'd been staring at the ground, unwisely paying no attention to her surroundings. "Sook! Sam, shit, she's here!" Her head snapped up immediately to see Layfayette bounding down her front steps and Sam following directly behind him. Before she could speak, huge arms had come around her and Layfayette was had enfolded her in a bear hug. She couldn't help but smile. "Shit hooker, where you been at? We been half out our minds worryin bout you girl." Her took hold of her arms gently and looked down at her, worry in his eyes, and his mind.

_If those vamps have done anything to my girl I'ma stake the motherfuckers when they're sleepin..._

"I'm fine I'm sorry I-" She was rudely interrupted when Sam marched forward and yanked her arms away from Layfayette. "Where the hell have you been Sookie? I've been going crazy. What's going on?" He shook her roughly.

"Sam back up she don't need you pullin' on her." Layfayette spit out.

Sookie just stared helplessly up at him, _how do I explain that my boyfriend has been lying to me and a vampire queen wants to rip me from my whole life and enslave me? _

Suddenly she was back in reality. Eric wasn't here to make her feel better doing whatever it was he actually did, and the cold hard truth smacked her up the face as though it were a real punch. From a huge fist.

Tears stung at her eyes and she slumped in Sams hold. He shot a panicked look at Layfayette, who moved immediately to grab her, but he was beaten to it by a flash of vampire as Eric took Sookie under his arm and used the other to grip Sam by the throat. Layfayette gave an audible yelp and stepped back. Sam struggled against Eric's iron grip and glared back at his furious gaze. "What have you done to her you filthy bloodsucker?" He managed to growl.

Sookie, meanwhile, had been staring at the scene in front of her as though she were seeing something else and at Sam's words she snapped back into the moment.

Tugging at Eric's arm she whispered desperately, "Please, Eric, no."

"You are upset. He did something to hurt you." he replied between gritted teeth. He also hadn't appreciated the way in which the shifter had been gripping Sookie when he arrived. He could happily have snapped his neck there and then for daring to touch what Eric considered to be his.

"He didn't, he didn't it was me. _Please _Eric."

Letting go of Sam with a snarl, he lifted her face up carefully to inspect and stunned both of the other men present when he leaned down and kissed her tears away. They were even more surprised when Sookie pressed herself closer to Eric and slipped her arms around his waist. He held her against him for long moments while the silence between the four stretched on.

Finally, Layfayette seemed to find his voice. "Sook? What's happened? Has he hurt you?" He asked quietly, eyes wide with fear. Since Eric had given him his blood, he could feel that Sookie's friend was absolutely terrified of him and was fighting the urge to run away screaming with everything in him. His worry for Sookie outweighed his fear of Eric and once again he found himself wondering at the friendship and loyalty between an admitted criminal with dubious morality, and a wholesome girl with fierce morals.

"Bill." Was all Sookie managed before succombing to her tears again.

"Something happened to Bill?" Sam spoke up, watching Sookie's face with concern.

_"_Perhaps we had better have this conversation inside." Eric commanded, lifting her up again and motioning for Sam and Layfayette to follow.

Eric reluctantly placed Sookie in Lafayette's lap while he made some calls, pacing the living room floor. Sam disappeared and returned minutes later bearing the ugly old afgan she loved so much. Layfayette brought their legs up on the sofa they were sitting on and wrapped the blanket around her. She turned her face into his chest, grateful for the contact with someone who knew her and what she needed. With no agenda and every reason to leave her alone with her pain, her friend had chosen to stay with her and she tried to express her gratitude but found herself unable to speak when she looked up into his face. Sam looked on with disappointment that he had not been her comforter, but settled himself in the chair facing them without a word.

When she finally had control of her emotions, Sookie lifted her head to look for Eric. More frightened than she would ever admit out loud, she didn't want him to leave her sight until she knew she was safe. This swift turn from pain in her ass to protector was unexpected, but she realised that she welcomed it. _If he hadn't been so kind... if he hadn't made me forget for a little while... _

Eric felt the rush of gratitude being directed his way and turned to look at her, phone still in hand. It wasn't burning passion but it was for him and for now that would be enough, he thought to secure her for him. As their eyes met, she offered a such a sweet smile that he found it impossible to resist returning.

Sam watched their exchange with narrowed eyes. Whatever had happened it seemed to have drawn them closer together and anger tore into his expression and his thoughts hit Sookie's head all at once.

_Smiling at him like he is anything other than a monster... what the hell is going on with Bill... watching her like she's something to eat... god she's so beautiful... I will kill him when I find out what he's done to her... he'll probably sleep here... easy to find in daylight... could make a stake from...._

He physically flinched as Sookie sprang up from Layfayette's lap and bore down on him, shrieking in her upset. "Don't you DARE Sam Melotte don't you dare! How COULD you even THINK... Don't you..."

The others froze, staring at the two of them. Sam was now on his feet and Sookie was banging her fists into his chest looking somewhere between crazed and hysterical. He was talking fast, trying to calm her. "Sookie, no, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She was glaring at him now, shaking visibly. "If you want to stake someone - " (Eric's eyebrows once again hovered somewhere near the ceiling at this) "You can stake Bill Compton and his damn queen! They did this to me, not him. If it wasn't for him I'd probably already be in chains or worse! You just stop thinking that way right now Sam Merlotte I would never forgive you never!" Eric moved at vampire speed and swept her up.

The last thing she saw before she passed out was a pair of clear blue eyes.

* * *

Half an hour later, sunrise was an hour away. Sam and Layfayette were in Sookie's spare room snoring lightly. They'd both been ready to commit murders when Eric had explained Bill's betrayal and the queens plot. He carried Sookie upstairs and once again tucked her into bed, pausing briefly to run his fingers through her hair. _I absolutely could get used to this. _

When he'd arrived back downstairs, her friends had already formed a plot to murder the queen and Bill in their death sleep after sun rise and he'd had to remind them that they would never survive long enough to get to them let alone kill them. Wereguards were all the rage among vampire royalty. They'd finally gone on to bed after being assured that Eric had arranged for extra protection for Sookie and agreeing to help guard her throughout the sunlit hours of the impending day.

He'd headed straight back to Sookie's bedroom then and settled himself in the chair across from her bed. Tomorrow night would be interesting. Bloodshed was one of his favourite things and it unsettled him deeply to feel the pang of fear and hurt deep in his gut as he thought of what may happen to her at the queens complex.

Watching her sleeping form, he frowned, feeling even more unsettled. Eric had genuinely believed that once he'd seduced her she would be out of his head. The unhealthy part of his interest in her would be put to rest and he could get on with being him with the added bonus of having an infatuated and spirited telepath under his command. Instead he found that his obsession was growing. His eyes fell shut in pleasure as he ran his mind over their antics at his home. A smirk appeared as he remembered her teasing. He couldn't recall any other human lover he'd had who had been brave enough to tease and torment him. He found he rather enjoyed it. _She was exquisite. More than perfect. _This newfound feeling for a human disturbed him greatly. She was human. He felt she would have remained a favourite of his, her utter determination to stand up for herself thrilled him, and he wa already the envy of the other vampires in power who knew of her, even Godric had been fascinated by and fond of the girl, but never had Eric expected to have her and end up craving her more than he ever had before.

He opened his eyes and looked over at her. The bedroom window was open and the dying moonlight shone across her beautiful features. _My beautiful Sookie. You are mine. _He moved over to kiss her lips gently, then headed off to find the hidey-hole he could rest in.

As he lay under the ground waiting for death to take him, he received both another flash into Sookie's dreams and a huge shock.

_They were entwined together on her bed, the sunlight shining through the window. His fingers were travelling slowly over her curves lesiurely. They were in no rush. They had forever. Their lips met in a slow kiss. He tucked her hair behind her ear, smiling softly at her. Her legs slid around his waist as they got deeper and deeper involved, groaning their mutual desire at each other..._

He almost gave a start as the vision of her dream abruptly changed. Brows furrowed in confusion, he concentrated hard.

_They were in a forest. The trees swayed silently above their heads. Sookie stood in Eric's shirt, clutching his hand tightly, as though she were afraid he would fade away if she let him go. She looked to her left to see Bill stalking towards them, his hands stretched out towards Sookie._

_"Sweetheart..." Bill whispered. "Come to me... it is time. Let him go."_

_Sookie stiffened at Eric's side. Her hand tightened in his and she stepped closer to him. "I am his Bill. He is mine. If this is our destiny, we face it together." Her voice was uneven, terrified._

_"Sookie no!" Bill growled. "You belong with me. Let him die sweetheart. Come to me." _

_He was before them now, reaching out to try to take her from the vampire that she loved. Eric looked down at her. His eyes were filled with pain. "Sookie, go to him." He whispered. "I love you... Go..." _

_She shook her head, staring up into his eyes, "I'm not leaving you." _

_A dark figure emerged from the trees, calling out. "Sookie, trust him. The vampire, he loves you. Believe in him and this will never come about. You alone control your destiny. Embrace it or you will lose him forever. For now you must let go. His fate shall embrace him. Only you have the power to change this, my child. Only you." _

_Eric's arms emptied as Sookie was yanked from his grasp. Struggling wildly, she screamed his name, Bill gripping her to him, her fighting him with every ounce of strength in her. _

_As the figure approached them, Eric murmered, "Niall.."_

_Niall sighed, a sad, resigned look on his face. "It is time, Viking. Your final battle approaches."_

_Eric was silent for a long moment. When he spoke his voice was hoarse, blood red tears rimming his eyes. "Take her away, I don't want her to see."_

_At this Sookie began screaming louder than ever. "ERIC, NO!" Breaking free of Bill's grasp, she launched herself at him. _

_He caught her easily and pulled her tight against him, burying his face in her hair. She sobbed against his chest openly. "No... don't leave me."_

_Before he could speak, Niall stepped up to them and a flash of blinding white light filled the entire forest. The sounds of a furious battle raging sounded through the sky above them. Sookie felt herself torn from her lover once again. Her hands searched blindly to find him again, grasping only empty air. She cried his name over and over and still she could not find him, he did not come to her._

_The sounds disappeared along with the light and Sookie found herself on her knees on the forest floor, the hollow, choked sobs escaping her throat were the only sounds to be heard now. He was gone. Eric was gone. _

_"My child," she felt a hand at her shoulder. "This is your fate if you choose it."_

_A scream of pure emotional agony tore from her lips. She collapsed against the man Eric had called Niall and cried, sharp, heart wrenching tears. _

_"Long ago," he murmered to her, "It was written that one day, a woman of royal lineage, a fae princess, will come together with a mighty warrior of the night, and their love will have the power to unite two races and bring peace to our worlds. Or the power to destroy both kingdoms. It is for you to decide if you wish to keep your warrior by your side Sookie. Only you can choose your destiny. You decide whether you live with your love, or perish with it."_

_The only reply she could manage was this, "I don't want to die. Not here, not like this. Not without him."_

_Niall turned her to him, looking into her eyes. "If you were to die, so that he could live, would you accept?"_

_She met his gaze steadily, fire blazing from her eyes. "I would die... For Him."_

_"Sookie." she heard his voice suddenly as though he was no longer in front of her, but inside her. "Do you love him enough to live for him?"_

She sat bolt upright in bed. _Damn dreams. _And promptly lay down to sleep again.

Eric lay frozen as a statue in her vampire proof hidey-hole, staring at the boards above his head. _That was no dream. Her real dream was interrupted by this... Vision? Message? Prophecy? _

If he'd had more time to dwell on it, perhaps things wouldn't have turned out as they did. But he didn't. Death was calling him, in more ways than one although he didn't realise it at the time, and he simply closed his eyes, worrying about tomorrow.

**A/N - Next chapter I'm considering introducing Alcide, and of course, we finally get to see just how pissed off at Eric the queen is. I have to ask for understanding once again. Not only am I finding my feet, but I'm a tinsey bit tipsy and have edited a huge chunk of this chapter ahead of posting. There is no beta so any mistakes, which I'm sure are plentiful (hehe I love that word today. I've counted at least 20 plentifuls coming out of my mouth today and believe me that's a hard word to fit in a sensible sentence!:L) are all my mistakes. **

**For anyone who hates this chapter, or the direction I've gone, don't worry, you've had your revenge already as I fell right on my ass into a puddle today in my mothers front garden whilst trying to look sophisticated and demure for the benefit of her neighbours grown up son, (who, by the way, resembles Johnny Depp from the right angle:( ), just as he was wishing us a happy new year:(:(:(:(:(:(**

**I'm rambling again. I hope you and all your families had a fantastic christmas day!!**


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N - Well hello again everyone, I hope last chapter was to everyone's liking. I thought I'd put everyone's mind at ease by saying that Eric will NOT meet his final death in my story. I love his character too much for that. But that doesn't mean his story will be easy on him. I have my mind set on how I want it to end, but everything in between is as undiscovered for me as it is for you! Eric and Sookie belong together, but you have a first time author trying to get you there remember, so there'll be ups and downs and probably more than a few mistakes along the way. _

_If there are parts you don't like, or anything you would like to see in the story then feel free to review or send me a message. I can't fix it if I don't know what's broken:)_

**Just to point out, there WILL be spoilers from all 9 books in my story. Thank you to the reviewer who pointed out that alot of the stuff in the books seems to end up in my writing. I warned in a previous chapter that parts of them would crop up here, and now I'm warning again. If you don't want to know what happens, then please don't read any further. I don't want to spoil the fun for anyone. **

_I want to apologise for taking so long to finish and post this chapter. My little haitus wasn't supposed to last so long but I have a little one and an apartment to look after so sometimes my writing takes a backseat whether I want it to or not. Also, I worked up the courage to finally watch The Doctor regenerate and my writing for the most part probably reflects the depression caused by it. (Doctor Who, I know it's shown in America but for those of you who haven't seen it I urge you to give it a try! Honestly it's fantastic, there are some shaky episodes but for the most part the drama and overall story is absolute genius. It's my favourite tv show and you __**know **__I've got good taste in tv shows since we're all on the same ff section:D) Also, as if I wasn't moping enough, I just HAD to go back and watch the first 9 episodes of Angel. The great love that never was between Doyle and Cordelia still makes me cry. Glenn Quinn was a great actor and his passing was an awful tragedy. So... you can see the depressive pattern here can't you lol_

Anyway, my epic length rambling is done now I promise:L On with the story.

_Thank you, as always, to the prettiest, smartest people in the world - my reviewers._

Sookie woke to the smell of cooking, the dreams of the night before long forgotten. She almost closed her eyes and went back to sleep, the events of the past couple of days had exhausted her both mentally and physically.

The scent of food forced to her rise instead of allowing sleep to claim her again. Whatever was on the stove smelled delicious and her stomach was urging her to get up and investigate.

She quickly washed and dressed for the day before heading to the kitchen. Stopping in the doorway, she couldn't help but smile as she took in the sight of Layfayette prancing around her kitchen in her grans old apron.

He turned and spotted her stood there and Sookie immediately put up her mental shields. She already knew she looked tired and drawn, the sweatpants and wifebeater vest she'd thrown on didn't help, and she didn't think she could stomach the barrage of worried thoughts he'd no doubt started projecting at her.

"Morning." She smiled.

"Morning, Sook, you just sit yo sexy ass on down and let Layfayette take care a you." He jabbed his spatula towards the table as though it were a weapon, other hand resting on his hip.

Sookie grinned at him and did as she was told.

Ten minutes later they were sat facing each other across the table tucking into their eggs, bacon and biscuits. It was a long while before either of them spoke.

Sookie enjoyed the silence. She was just a normal girl, hanging out with her friend and having breakfast, no worries about vampire queens or lovers. If she concentrated hard enough she could almost believe it.

Until of course, Layfayette just **had** to open his mouth.

"So, Sook. What's gonna happen now? Your boy Eric called some dude last night, told him to bring a couple guys over here and stay with ya till he wakes up tonight."

"I have no idea who that is." she shrugged. "Probably one of Eric's day men. Hey, where's Sam?" She asked, finally realising that someone else should be here with them.

"He went to meet them, they should be arrivin' any minute. So we only got seconds for you to tell me what the hell you doin' with that crazy motherfucker Eric. Shit Sook you know what he is..." He looked over at her knowingly.

Sookie kept her shields up, something told her she just didn't want to hear what her friend was thinking right now. _Oh great... just wonderful. How in the hell do I tell one of my best friends that I've been pretty much throwing myself at the man who tortured him?_

"I know. I know what he is Layfayette. But-"

She was cut off by his frustrated sigh.

"Listen hooker, there is **always **a but with men like him. He's not even a man though! He's a damn vampire Sook, ain't you learned your lesson about messin' around with them? They might look like normal men, and I ain't gonna lie to ya, that vamp in particular look **all man **to me, but deep down they just nasty ass monsters who only out for theyselves. You're gonna get in trouble you keep foolin' around with them."

"Newsflash Layfayette, I'm already _in _trouble. I have to go to New Orleans tonight and present myself to some queen who apparently has been after me for quite a while, so forgive me for being grateful to the man who is doing his best to keep me safe!" She snapped at him.

Being reminded of just how deceitful vampires could be was like having a bucket of cold water emptied over her head and the urge to either kill something (or someone), or cry like a baby over her own stupidity was once again filling her up.

Her friend raised his eyebrows "Just how much gratitude did you show him Sook?" Her answering blush told him everything he needed to know. Rose coloured evidence of her naughtiness with the viking. Layfayette was begrudingly impressed.

Before Sookie could stutter out a denial, or combust from the heat that had started to burn her cheeks, the front door knocked. She gave a nervous start and could only nod helplessly as Layfayette got up with a chuckle and moved to answer the door.

Seeing her behaviour through someone else's eyes was a horrific, _not to mention humiliating _experience. _If I survive through the coming night I am definitely never looking Eric in the eye EVER again. How could I behave in such a reckless, loose - _

"Hi Sookie, how you feeling?" Sam's voice invaded her inner rant.

"Oh I'm just fine thanks Sam. Really just great." She intoned without emotion.

His brow crinkled into a worried frown.

She looked up and noticed two men standing behind Sam, looking slightly awkward. Both were tall, though not as tall as Eric. One had dark brown hair and boyish good looks which clashed with his strong looking body. The other was handsome in a less traditional sense, with shaven head and sharp features.

She couldn't help but notice that both were extremely muscular, attractive men. Judging by the way Layfayette was staring at their asses from his position just behind them, she got the impression that her favourite male body part wouldn't be a disappointment either.

"Sookie, this is Alcide Herveaux," he gestured to the man with dark hair and he nodded at her, "...and John Quinn." John Quinn mirrored Alcide's nod. "They're here to help us watch over you until the - until _Eric _rises." She noticed the sharp way in which Sam had said the viking's name and ignored it. Smiling tentively, she nodded to each of the men.

"Thank you so much for helping out. I'm sorry, you've just missed breakfast, I can rustle something up if you boys are hungry...?" Her gran would have been proud of her. No matter what's going on you never forgot your manners, was how she looked at things.

"We ate already mam, but thank you." Came the smooth reply from Alcide. Sookie noticed the look on his face as his eyes roamed over her appreciatively. She kept her shields firmly in place, the last thing she wanted was to listen to his thoughts.

Layfayette wandered back into the kitchen, winking at her as he passed and began clearing away their dishes. "Sook, why don't you run ahead and get dressed and I'll take care of our guests while they wait." He drawled over his shoulder at her. She shook her head, fighting a smile and headed off to dress for the day. Trust him to see her dangerous and frightening situation as a dating opportunity.

Thirty minutes, and a lot of flirting (courteousy of Layfayette) later they were all settled in Sookie's living room playing poker for matchsticks to pass the time. Eric had instructed her protectors for the day that they were not to let her leave the house until he rose for the evening. Something that Sookie had protested against indignantly until Sam kindly pointed out that Bill would surely have informed the queen of Eric's unhealthy interest in her and that that information may have driven the vampire monarch to send people of her own to collect Sookie whilst Eric was safely trapped in his daytime slumber. She had grudgingly accepted his explanation.

The day passed peacefully enough, though Sookie received a shock when she lowered her shields to have a look inside her male companions heads.

Layfayette's thoughts were typical for him. _Damn that dude Quinn got one fine ass on him. Not to mention that set of muscles. He keeps starin' at Sook though. Still, I bet he would be worth a round or two inside my tight... _

Sookie quickly pulled out of her friends mind with an inward sigh. She found herself wondering if he ever thought of anything besides sex and her eyes unwillingly roamed over to catch a look at Quinn's body.

He was half propped on his elbow, lounging on the floor and she had to agree with her friend that he was certainly a strong looking man. And attractive._ Though he has nothing on Eric. _She blinked. _Did I really just think that? _Before she had a chance to continue her internal conversation, she was brought abruptly back into the game with a nudge from Sam indicating that it was her turn to pick cards.

Throughout the rest of the game she dipped into the other mens thoughts and discovered that both Alcide and Quinn were attracted to her, yet they wondered why Eric Northman was so fascinated with her.

Both owed him, though she couldn't gather from their thoughts what they owed him for, and he'd called in a favour from them the previous evening.

Quinn thought that he'd never heard Northman sound so worried and wondered why Sookie was so special to him. Before she could be too insulted by his seemingly questioning her worth, he started thinking about what an arrogant jerk he perceived Eric to be and how he never seemed to care about anyone or anything other than himself. He was curious to find out what captivated him about a little southern woman.

Sookie fought the urge to kick him.

Alcide seemed to respect Eric, although he generally didn't like vampires he found him to be a fair and honest man. She almost snorted out loud when she heard that in the mans mind and quickly coughed to smother it. _Fair and honest my ass. He wasn't so fair and honest when he was tricking me into sucking his chest! _She told herself. _Yes, _ her own voice in her head whispered, _but he didn't have to trick you into sucking other parts of his anatomy did he? _

Before she knew it, it was almost sundown. Herself and the men had moved to the kitchen around lunchtime and continued their card game while Sookie had prepared sandwiches for them all. They'd stayed there all afternoon, laughing and joking. Everyone had made a point of avoiding the subject of what Sookie faced that coming night, though they all saw the tension in the way Sookie held herself, the smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and the humourless laugh she used when one of them cracked a joke.

As she watched the sky slowly begin to fade into darkness, her mind drifted back to Eric, as it had done countless times throughout the day. She had no idea how she was supposed to react to him when he awakened. The thought of simply throwing herself into his huge arms the moment he appeared was more appealing than she would ever admit out loud. His touch, his comfort, was quickly becoming like a drug to her and she found herself missing his presence more and more as the day had gone by. The cold, arrogant vampire sheriff that he appeared to be was not all there was to Eric Northman. That she could see clearly now. Oh sure, he was still an arrogant, cold vampire sheriff, but he also had a decent side in him. A gentleness that he seemed to reserve for a very few people. Plus he was passionate. More so than she'd ever imagined. He was a supremely skilled lover, the man was sex on legs without a doubt. Every inch of him oozed sexy. And he could do things with his hands, and his tongue that really should be considered illegal.

Layfayette, Sam and Alcide had disappeared from the kitchen at some point though she failed to notice. Nor did she seem to realise just how close Quinn had moved while she was lost in thoughts of Eric Northman.

As images of the pleasure she had shared with the viking played like a film in her head, she didn't see the worried look upon her guards face as her eyes glazed over, or notice that his hand had come to rest on her back. All Sookie was focused on was the image of Eric, strong and beautiful, resting on his arms over her body as he slammed into her again and again in his bed, her tight walls pulsating around him as he smoldered down at her. His face the very definition of perfection. A warm flush was quickly spreading its way across her face and down the rest of her body as she remembered the pounding of their bodies meeting, on the bed, in the shower...

Quinn watched the look of utter pleasure on Sookie's face as his hand began rubbing slow circles on her back. He'd been concerned when he'd called her name a few times to no response - just a faraway look in her eyes, and had reached out hoping to draw her attention to him and bring her back from whatever had taken over her mind. Mistaking the flush in her cheeks as encouragement, he leaned ever closer, growling her name in an entirely different tone than the one he'd used before. She really was a beautiful woman, anyone with eyes could see that. Plus she seemed intelligent, and was very brave, dealing with the ordeal he knew she had ahead of her with poise and grace instead of hiding in a corner like so many would. All these traits added up to one hell of a woman and she appealed to him immensely.

Sookie, still lost in her daydreams of the vampire sheriff, let out a small moan as she felt fingers caress her back softly. _Eric... I need you... now._

Slightly dazed from the extreme arousal she was experiencing, it took her a few long moments to realise that the hand on her back didn't belong to the man she was currently mentally (and physically) lusting after.

"Sookie.." A voice cut through her haze, snapping her back to reality. _That's not Eric! _She thought stupidly.

She pulled back abruptly and jumped to her feet. As her eyes flashed open, lips already forming a harsh reprimand, the words died in her throat when the first sight that met her was Eric. Standing in the kitchen doorway in his black vest and jeans, his blue eyes blazing with an emotion she couldn't identify.

* * *

He had to be seeing things. There was just no way that _his Sookie _was really sitting in front of him, casually allowing the weretiger to _touch_ her, to _breathe_ on her. His fists clenched into tight balls at his sides, anger and something else, unfamiliar, racing through him. For once he didn't trust himself to speak. He simply stared at her, the woman who'd turned his world upside down and was now seemingly content to allow filth like the were Quinn to paw all over her the moment his back was turned, was stood facing him across her grandmother's kitchen, face still flushed from her encounter.

"Eric." He heard her speak as though from very far away.

Eric ignored her and turned his attention to Quinn.

"Your job here is done. Leave. Now."

Quinn glared at the viking, rising to his feet. "I gotta wait for Alcide and the shifter."

Said viking stared holes into Quinn's skull. "They are outside waiting for you. _Get. Out._" He half-growled.

Quinn turned towards Sookie and made to step close to her again. A surge of fury had Eric already stepping forward to snap his head clean off his shoulders. _He dares touch my bonded.. He will die! _

But before he could make good on his inward promise to destroy the other man, he was halted by Sookie's sudden small cry and fast movements backing away from the weretiger.

"You heard Eric, Mr Quinn. Thank you for watching over me today. Be sure to tell the others I said thanks as well. Goodbye." Her voice was surprisingly hostile for someone who'd just been bright red and consumed with lust from the mans mere touch, Eric noted.

With a confused look, Quinn quickly exited the house.

Neither said anything for what felt like hours but was, in reality, mere minutes. Finally, Sookie spoke nervously.

"That wasn't... I mean. It wasn't what it looked like."

Eric said nothing. He walked slowly towards her, every inch the predator. She unconsciously stepped back until she hit the sink and couldn't move any further, while Eric continued to walk to stalk towards her. For perhaps the first time, she was truly afraid of him. He wasn't just angry, he was furious. She could see it in his eyes, in the firm set of his jaw.

"You cannot lie to me Sookie." He growled, finally reaching her and towering over her small form. His body held her in place, but there was nothing sexual about his advance. He reached out and grabbed her face roughly. "I felt it in you the moment I awakened. Your need. Your desire. Tell me little one, how badly did you want the tigers hands on you?"

She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her dead and continued, "I will not tolerate my bonded behaving like a whore. I am taking great risks in order to secure your protection and I will **not** be made a fool of. You will behave in a manner becoming of my bonded, or you will bow before the queen and allow her to use you as she may see fit." Every word was laced with barely concealed anger, and if she didn't know better she would swear she saw hurt shining out of his eyes.

Perhaps if he hadn't insinuated that she was a whore she may have explained herself there and then. But as usual, her temper came to the fore and she glared heatedly at him. "You didn't seem to mind my behaving like a _whore_ when it benefited you. And bonded to you or not, I will let whoever I damn well please touch me!"

His hand tightened on her face. "Do not push me little one." He snarled, face inches from hers.

She pushed him anyway, literally and physically. Her hands shoved at the wall of steel that was his chest, though he never moved an inch and she retorted angrily. "Or what Eric? You gonna hurt me? Well _go ahead._ I no longer care. Take me to your queen. Then maybe I'll finally be rid of you for good! You arrogant sonofabitch. How dare you speak to me like that! How many _whores _will you get through before the week is over? Hmm? How many before the _night_ is over knowing you. For your information Eric Northman, I was thinking about you. I didn't even realise his goddamn hands were on me till I heard him say my name. So you can just go and yell at somebody else cause I have had enough of you damn vampires and your bullshit! And _get your hands off of me right now!_"

With that, she began struggling wildly against him.

Eric gripped her wrists in his hands and rammed his body tightly into hers, pinning her completely in place and effectively ceasing her movements.

"No." Was all he said.

She glared up at him, about to make another demand for him to release her immediately, when a cold voice reverberated through her grans kitchen. They both froze in place.

"Ah, Northman. I see you have my telepath ready and waiting for me. How very kind of you."

He tensed immediately, his hands unconsciously moving up from Sookie's wrists to grip her hands.

"Your majesty." He said quietly and watched as Sookie's eyes widened in terror.

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_A/N - This chapter really isn't up to par at all and I apologise for that. Once again I have to remind you that writing is pretty new to me. I'm sure you can appreciate that a paragraph at a time in roleplay, with mulitple people adding to the story etc is very different to this. Personal issues have knocked me off as well the past few weeks so that hasn't helped my poor muse:) The next chapter is better done, with more interaction, some juicy lemons and of course the big confrontation. It's almost done and I hope to have it up for you tonight or tomorrow at the latest. Sorry again for the huge delay. As always, enjoy - and please review. I need constructive criticism more than ever. Feel free to pm also. Thank you to all those who have added me to their favs and story and author alerts. You really make the learning experience worth all the worry x_


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N - YAY! It only took me like 4 chapters to work up to this one!! lol You know what I usually say by now anyhow. This is another experiment. Sorry for the delay in posting and I want to apologise to those of you who sent me messages. For some unknown reason this site doesn't like me and they didn't show up! I found them in my emails and I'm off to reply to them now. I hope you like this chapter.  
_

"So kind of you to keep ahold of the girl for me Northman, but I am here now, she cannot escape. You may release her." Sophie-Anne silkily intoned at Eric.

He turned, dropping one of his hands but keeping Sookie's hand gripped in his other one. His queen stood in the doorway of Sookie's kitchen, a smug, self satisfied expression on her beautiful face. It was an expression she wore often and it had always annoyed Eric. Right now he wanted to punch it right off her face.

Her slim body was barely covered by a short, cream coloured satin dress, it rode further up her thigh as she lifted an arm to lean against the doorframe. Seemingly alone, though Eric knew her child Andre and no doubt the rest of her guard were hovering nearby.

_It would seem I was correct. _He thought. _Bill has informed her of my newfound closeness with Sookie and she has arrived here hoping to catch me off guard. This should be interesting._

He watched the queen silently, all the while feeling Sookie's absolute terror through their bond. Hating that he could not give her any real comfort, he squeezed her hand gently to remind her of his presence. That he would protect her. _And I WILL protect her. _

Their fight over Quinn was completely forgotten at the moment.

Never before had he known Sookie to be so terrified. It touched him right down into the darkness of his soul and a primal, instinctive urge to protect her at all costs possessed him. With a great effort, he forced himself to remain still and outwardly calm.

Sophie-Anne's gaze shifted from her Sheriff to Sookie, an eyebrow raising appreciatively as she took in the girl before her. She did love a pretty girl.

"I can see I am not to be disappointed. Reports of your beauty were absolutely accurate, Miss Stackhouse."

Sookie merely blinked at the woman who had invaded her home. The pressure of Eric's hand and the feel of his body beside her were about the only things keeping her grounded. _Oh God this is it! She's come for me and there's nothing I can do to stop her. _She was holding his hand so tightly that if he'd been a human he would surely have cried out in pain by now.

Neither vampire in the room missed the movement as she pressed closer into Eric's side, her eyes never leaving the dangerous vampire queen before her. But for once, Sookie didn't give a damn about appearing weak. All she wanted in the world right now was to crawl inside Eric and hide there while he made the big bad vampire lady go away.

They were both clearly waiting for Sookie's reply to the queen's comment on her beauty, but the only words Sookie could manage to gather from her stunned and deeply frightened mind were, "How did you get into my house?"

Eric smirked inwardly. Even in her fear his telepath was keeping it together, asking the right questions. _How exactly did she manage to enter Sookie's home without an invite?_

Sophie merely smiled. Eric immediately felt incredibley uneasy. _What has she done?_ His queen was, for the most part, pretty easy to handle, although unpredictable. He was usually very adept at working out what she was upto and staying one step ahead of her. This time however, he was at a loss. She had clearly managed to undo the magic that kept a vampire out of a living persons home unless they had been invited in. _But how?_

"Ah, yes." the queen answered after a moments pause. "I would of course have to have been invited in, by a person who calls this place home, would I not?"

Her eyes glowed with malice as she watched Sookie closely, eager to see the girls reaction to the surprise she had coming.

She'd been furious to discover that Bill Compton had ruined her plan to have the telepath brought to her. It had been simple. The girl would fall in love with Bill and once he had bound her to him in every possible human way, he would present her to his queen and she would have her own personal telepath who, in time, would become her telepathic vampire child.

She had already selected a ring for Bill to present the girl with in proposal of marriage, having been assured that Ms Stackhouse would take her vows very seriously and thus follow Bill wherever he wished he to go. Which would be straight to Sophie Anne, who would be the envy of all the kingdoms in the supernatural world with such a prize.

A part fae and telepathic vampire would be a rare thing indeed, and no doubt extremely powerful. And she would be the queens to command as she wished.

Until off course, the Sheriff had got in the way of her carefully laid out plan. Bill had warned her about Eric's fascination with the girl, but assured her that Sookie hated the viking with a fiery passion and that he did not pose a threat to their plans for Miss Stackhouse.

They should have realised how quickly passionate hatred could turn into other kinds of passion. It had certainly not been hatred that had caused the girl to be caught up by Bill in a clinch with her Sheriff. Nor had it been hatred that caused her to cling to him now as though she were drowning and he was her lifejacket.

Oh yes, the queen was furious. The Northman had ruined it all. But Sophie Anne had not managed to become queen of Louisiana by being foolish. The moment her beloved child Andre had arrived at her compound with a severely injured Bill Compton, she'd been formulating a new plan of action.

Calling her Sheriff to arrange for the girl to be brought to her had only been the first step. The second step was to take him by surprise by arriving unexpectedly to claim her prize. The third was about to play out in front of her.

Of course Eric would attempt to keep the girl for himself, she had no doubt about that. He was clearly smitten with the bloodbag. But if the girl chose to come with his queen willingly he would have no choice but to let her go.

And Sophie Anne thought she knew exactly how to make the girl come to her willingly.

"Hadley my dear, come say hello to your cousin." She drawled cockily, watching with pleasure as total shock covered Sookie's face and a look of confusion appeared on Eric's. Oh this was going to be fun.

Eric watched as a woman sauntered into the room, excitement clear across her features. She was blond, slightly bigger than his bonded, but looked a little like Sookie. Though while her cousin was strikingly beautiful, this woman was merely pretty.

He felt, rather than saw Sookie's slight stumble as she took one uncertain step towards the woman the queen had called Hadley, her hand still gripping his.

"I. Hadley... What are you - " Sookie didn't get to finish her sentence as she suddenly had an armful of her cousin. Hadley had launched herself at Sookie in her excitement. "Oh I am so happy to see you Sook! And you're going to be coming to live with us! We'll be like one big family! Isn't it exciting?" She pulled back beaming, until she saw the horrified expression on Sookie's face. "Your boyfriend Bill will be with us too. Sophie says we can all live together..." she trailed off, her face falling in confusion that Sookie didn't look happy about it all.

Eric let go of Sookie's hand and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her back into his side. He wanted nothing more than to shield her from the idiotic woman in front of them, and smash the smug grin off Sophie Anne's face. He felt the utter horror flooding through his woman and knew that worse was to come for her. He'd already figured out how the queen had found out about Sookie in the first place, but he was certain that she was too scared and confused at the moment to work it out for herself.

For her part, Sookie had finally torn her eyes away from Hadley to stare at a smirking Sophie Anne. Forcing herself to maintain eye contact with the vicious monarch, she whispered, "What are you doing with her Hadley?"

Before she could answer, the queen's silky drawl once again filled the room.

"Hadley has been with me for almost two years now. Isn't that right my dear?" She spared a glance for her pet before turning her gaze back to Sookie. "She told the most fascinating stories about her family. You in particular. The girl who can read minds. Naturally, I was simply _dying _to meet you. My pet informed me that your favourite movie is Gone With The Wind, and how you wished for your very own southern gentleman."

At this, she clicked her fingers and stepped gracefully to the side to allow Andre to enter the kitchen, pulling along with him a very subdued looking Bill.

His eyes immediately sought out Sookie. a growl escaping as he saw the way Eric was holding her, and how Sookie was clinging to his side, her eyes wide and full of pain. _She is mine! He has no right to touch her! _He glared silently at his sheriff as Eric purposely chose that moment to press his lips against Sookie's hair, his eyes blazing into Bill's.

"And here he is Miss Stackhouse. Your very own southern gentleman. I sent him to you as a gift." She gestured towards Bill. "And now you will both join me at my home where I am sure we will all get along _very _well."

"No."

The voice was so low that even with their inhanced hearing the vampires had to strain to hear it.

"I beg your pardon." Sophie Anne purred.

"I said, NO." Sookie glared at the queen, forcing her eyes not to move to Bill. "I am not going _anywhere _with you_._"

"Bill... control your human or I will be forced to punish her."

Bill jerked his head up, making to step towards Sookie before Eric's growl caused him to freeze.

He'd been silent long enough. Now that he knew exactly what the queen intended and had done, it was time to lay claim to his telepath.

"Excuse me your majesty," his accent sounding thicker than ever. "but I think you will find that Miss Stackhouse is MY human. My **Bonded**. And I assure you that if Compton attempts to touch her I **will** kill him." He rose to full height, stepping forward. His blue eyes were cold, fierce. Sookie got the impression that they were the very last thing most people who pissed Eric Northman off got to see.

Now Sophie Anne looked murderous. _He dares?! He dares to bond to the girl when he knows that I wish to claim her as my own? _

"What is the meaning of this Sheriff?" She breathed icily. If Northman had indeed bonded the girl to him then there was nothing she could do. She couldn't even touch the little bloodbag without his permission.

"My queen..." Eric shifted his gaze to her. "Your child informed me that you wished to have the use of Miss Stackhouse's gift. He said nothing of your wish for her to join your place of residence." If he played this right then there would be no need for things to come to a fight. Yet. _Though I am more than willing to take on my queen and all of her little helpers if it means keeping Sookie safe and with me._ Astonished with his own turn of thought, he mentally shook himself and smiled easily at Sophie Anne.

"I will of course, be happy to allow the use of her gift. As long as certain boundaries are held to..."

Sophie Anne glowered at him. He had blatantly flouted her orders to suit himself, yet she could do nothing to prove it as she had indeed informed her child to tell him only what was necessary. Everything had been falling into place until Eric had gotten himself involved and now she could only watch as her plans fell apart around her. Even if the girl had been swayed by Hadley's little speech about how they would all be together like a family, Northman simply had to say no and she would be unable to take the girl. _Bastard. He has played his hand well, but he shall learn that no man crosses me and survives to tell the tale. He will PAY for this!_

"Very well Northman. I can see that _for now, _Miss Stackhouse is out of my reach." There was undisguised threat in her voice, but Eric simply smirked at her.

Before he could reply though, Bill seemed to have found his voice. "**No!** Sookie is **mine!** You had no right to bond her to you! No right at all! I will have you before the magister for this! She is mine!" He growled, making to step towards Sookie. "Sookie..." he said, plea clear in his voice. "Sookie please understand..."

Sookie cut him dead. "Don't you _dare. _Don't you speak to me Bill Compton!" She pushed past Eric to stand before her first love, anger interrupting the aching horror she was feeling. "You tricked me. You came into my life and you_ lied _to me every second you were in it. How dare you threaten Eric for protecting me? It's more than you ever did! How can you even look me in the eye? I don't ever want to see you again Bill! I rescind your invitation to my home!"

"Sookie, please... I love you..." Bill whined, feeling the pull as his body walked backwards towards her kitchen door and on out of her house.

Sookie watched him go silently then rounded on her cousin who had been watching proceedings quietly. "And you! You're supposed to be my family. How could you do this to me? You helped them trick me!"

Hadley gave a nervous smile. "But Sook, we were all going to be a family. I thought, I thought that's what you wanted. And Mr Compton, he loves you. Isn't that what you always wanted? I was trying to give you what you always -" She was silenced by the resounding slap that Sookie had marched forward and delivered.

"You think I wanted to be lied to? You think I **want** to be given over like some prefect little present to some vampire queen I've never even met before? You've always been an idiot Hadley, but this is amazing. Even for you. How could you think that I'd want to be torn out of my life and kept like a damn puppy!?"

Hadley was crying silently, her hands holding her cheek. "But Sookie - "

Once again Sookie cut her off -

"And family Hadley? I had a family. I had gran. And do you know why I don't now?" She stepped close to her cousin, fury shining out of her eyes. She didn't think she'd ever been so hurt, or angry. "Because she was murdered." Something akin to pleasure erupted through her body as she saw Hadley's eyes widen in shock and horror. "Oh didn't they tell you? Your precious vampire masters didn't tell you that our gran was _murdered_ because I was dating Bill? And it's your fault. She always said you'd be the death of her. Guess she didn't know how true that was."

Absolute fury was flowing through her and everyone in the room except her saw that her eyes had begun to glow white. "And you come here, inviting these **monsters **into my grans home. How dare you? This isn't your home, it hasn't been for years. You lost the right to call it that when you screwed our gran over and skipped town. If she could see you now she'd be ashamed of you!" She was shouting now and she didn't give a damn. "Now GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" With that she shoved her cousin backwards and was more shocked than anyone when her hands emitted an intense white light and Hadley was thrown right across the room to slam into the wall and slump to the ground unconscious.

Everyone froze in utter shock, Sookie included. Her eyes were no longer shining and when she lifted her hands up in front of her to gaze at them they were just her normal hands again. She stared at them, utterly overwhelmed. And then her gaze found her cousin, slumped in a heap on the floor. Immediately, she felt terrible.

"Oh, Hadley - " She made to rush to her cousins side and was instantly pulled back against Eric. "No little one, leave her." He muttered in her ear softly, his arms wrapping around her chest to hold her close. He was astounded at her little display, and by the look on her face he knew that this was not some secret she had been keeping. Whatever power in her had enabled her to throw a woman several feet across a room, it was as new to her as it was to him. His eyes flicked across the room to Sophie Anne, who was just about regaining her composture.

"Well Mr Northman, it would seem that you have quite the prize there. I was not informed that she had _extra_ abilities. This is most fascinating." Her eyes were roaming over his bonded greedily, paying absolutely no mind to the fact that her human had been injured and may need attention.

Eric knew that she was considering making an attempt to take the girl there and then and his arms tightened around Sookie. "Indeed your majesty. As you can see, my bonded is well able to protect herself. It would be a fool indeed who chose to attack her or anything she cared about." An eyebrow rose in challenge. He was making it clear to the queen that a fight against himself and Sookie would not be one that could be easily won.

She seemed to understand this as she finally moved her gaze to Hadley. "Indeed Northman. This one turned out to be quite useless in the end. She will of course be punished most severely for her incompetence." An amused smirk formed as she heard Sookie's sharp intake of breath.

Sookie had been about to protest wildly at the queens words, but a sharp squeeze from Eric and one look up at his face silenced her.

"I will be in touch Sheriff. Be sure to have your _bonded _ready for my use when I am." With that, Sophie Anne sneered at them both and turned and swept from the room.

They watched silently as Andre picked Hadley up and swug her over his shoulder, a look of abject disgust on his face. On his turn to face Eric and Sookie, he leered at her. "And to think, you were to be _my _bonded Miss Stackhouse. No mind," he drawled. "I am sure I will see you _very _soon." With a cocky nod to Eric, he left.

Before she could think, or possibly burst into hysterical tears, Eric and loosened his grip and span her around to face him. "What was _that_?" He muttered, looking over her face. She knew exactly what he was referring to.

"I have no idea. I've never done that before. Oh god... Hadley. What have I done? I hurt her... and they'll kill her... I have to do something!"

Just when he'd thought she couldn't possibly surprise him any more...

"Sookie, the woman betrayed you. She caused all of this. Yet you would risk your life to go after her?"

"She's family Eric! No matter what I think of her right now I can't just leave her at their mercy."

"She will be fine. Sophie Anne will not punish her too badly. If anything she will keep her alive as a pawn to use against you. For now your cousin will be fine." He told her.

Sookie nodded, turning away. The gravity of everything that had happened threatened to pull her back into misery. The tears had already started flowing. Eric moved up behind her, carefully lifting her in his arms and speeding into the living room where he sat down on the sofa and folded her up against him.

They were silent for a long time, each going over the events of the night in their minds. Sookie was the first to speak.

"Eric?"

"Hmm?" He replied.

"The night I met Bill... He. I. A couple of drainers got him. I saved him from them. I saved his life."

Wondering where she was going with this, he simply stayed silent and waited for her to speak again.

"The next night, I had arranged to meet him after work. He was late and they - they found me. I was half dead when he appeared. He killed them. And then he gave me his blood..."

She looked up at him for the first time since they'd sat down. "He set me up didn't he? So I would be attracted to him. He let them kick me half to death and then he..."

Eric didn't reply, he knew he didn't have to. Pain filtered through their bond and he simply tucked her up against him and let her cry.

Her world had been torn apart in a few short days and she didn't know where to turn. She simply let go and allowed the hurt that had built up in her to escape through her shattered sobs. All the while clinging to Erics neck and allowing her tears to soak through his top.

For the longest time she cried, feeling his hands rub her back gently, his lips pressing into her hair and uttering words in a language she couldn't understand.

When the sobbing eventually stopped, neither of them spoke. Eric thought she had fallen asleep and was surprised at how even her voice sounded when she sat up slightly to look him in the eye and spoke.

"Just for the record, I do not appreciate the way you spoke to me earlier." He quirked an eyebrow at her. She ignored him. "I don't belong to anybody Eric and much as I am thankful for everything you've done for me, you don't have the right to tell me who I can and can't have touch me. It's not like you're about to ask my permission to go screw whichever fangbangers you like."

He opened his mouth and she shushed him. He looked mildly affronted at being silenced by a human girl, but said nothing. "Like I said, you don't have the right to tell me who to touch, but since you've done so much for me I at least owe you an explanation. I didn't know he was touching me. I didn't realise, I was miles away."

Eric glared at something over her shoulder, "Sookie you know you cannot lie to me - " A finger pressed against his lips to silence him again. He considered biting it off if only to show her her place.

"I was having... daydreams.. About someone else." She looked away at that point and he remembered her words from earlier. Smirking, he reached up to cup her cheek.

"Do tell little one."

She glared at him. "Do you want me to tell you or do you want me to kick you?"

He chuckled, he'd take an angry Sookie over a crying one any day.

"I was thinking about you, and I got kinda carried away... It was only when he said my name that I realised I wasn't imagining the hand on me." Her face was burning now, but she'd achieved what she'd set out to do. Which was to not have Eric thinking she was some kind of slut. The fact that she cared whether he thought that of her was annoying her immensely.

_I mean it's not like I like him or anything. Sure he's attractive, and yeah he's GREAT in bed. But he's really not my type and I soo don't want him to be my boyfriend or anything... As a friend... sure I like him as a friend. He saved my ass. And he's really quite funny when he wants to be and his hugs are great. Plus his ass is just about the most beautiful thing I've ever seen... No, wait, that's bad. I mean the ass isn't bad, the ass is GREAT. But the fact that I think the ass is great, that's bad... very very bad... _

He was watching her quietly, his thumb brushing softly back and forth across her cheek as he waited for her to stop arguing with herself. While he was no mindreader himself, it didn't take a genius to work out that she was very deep in thought. She wasn't showing any signs of moving or speaking, so he took matters into his own hands.

"How are you feeling Sookie?" He asked softly.

_And why does he care how I'm feeling? _"I don't know. I. I'm angry sure. And hurt. But I think I'll be alright. I mean I know I'll be alright. I'm safe as I can be right now, and the rest, well I'll think about that later."

He nodded, eyes drifting slowly up to meet hers. She was immediately mesmerized.

"Thank you, Eric. You, you saved me." His normally ice cold blue eyes looked warm for a change and the effect on Sookie's body was instant. Nobody could make her feel like he could. Without even thinking about it, she leaned forward and pressed her lips softly into his. The resulting groan he gave just about sent her over the edge and she kissed him harder, with a fierceness she'd never used before.

Eric quickly dominated the kiss, crushing her mouth with his own in the most delicious way she'd ever experienced. Her arms slid around his neck, hands finding the back of his head and gripping the hair there.

His free hand found her other cheek, holding her beautiful face as though it were made of glass while his lips attacked hers in a very less than gentle way. She moaned against them as fire shot through her entire body. Tugging hard on his hair in her excitement, she shifted to rest on her knees either side of his body, pressing her sex down hard on his already stiff jeans. He growled sharply into her mouth and tore his mouth from hers to nip playfully at her neck, fangs descended.

Pushing his hips up to match her movements, he flicked his tongue across her soft skin. His hands trailed down between them and ripped her t-shirt off with one quick yank, freeing up her heavy breasts. Eric kissed his way down to them, immediately latching on to a nipple, rubbing circles with the tip of his finger around her other one. He sucked it into his mouth, tongue rubbing around it, fangs scraping the tender flesh.

They shouldn't be doing this, they should be discussing what would happen now, Sookie's newfound powers, what the queen would attempt to do next. But neither of them were willing to stop, nor did they even try to.

Eric stopped his assault on her breasts only long enough to smash his lips back into hers. Hooking his hands under her ass he stood up and wrapped her legs around him. Somehow they made it to her bedroom where he dropped her onto the bed and wasted no time in stripping them both of their remaining clothing. Then he crawled slowly up the bed parting her legs and slipping his hands under her ass once again. "Look at me lover." He told her huskily, dipping his head down between her legs to inhale her scent. _Fuck, she smells like heaven. _Sookie stared down at him, eyes wide with lust. He locked onto her gaze as he dragged his tongue along her opening. Her eyes rolled in excitement. "Eric..." she moaned, ripples of pleasure shooting up her spine.

He sank his tongue into her dripping hole, groaning at the taste. His fingers worked over her clit as she writhed beneath him, lost to the sensations he was creating inside of her. When he felt she was close his fingers changed places with his tongue and he sucked her clit hard as they pumped quickly into her, the tight walls of her center gripping them. With a loud cry of his name she went over the edge and came hard, her back arching up off the bed.

Eric slid up her body, entering her at once as her orgasm washed over her. His throbbing cock slid through her trembling walls like a hot knife through butter. Once he was buried to the hilt he stopped moving and gazed down at her. Sweat beaded on her forehead, her cheeks flushed with orgasmic bliss as she watched him blearily. He could almost hear her willing him to move deep inside of her. "You are so beautiful." He whispered. Then he began moving. Slow, deep thrusts that filled her and stretched her beyond imagining. All she could do was grip his back as he rode her achingly slowly. Every inch of her buzzed with rapture as the viking god above her drove her deeper and deeper into the mattress with every thrust. His rock hard cock was hitting places deep inside her that sent shockwaves of pleasure across her body. With a harsh growl he began moving faster and faster, his arms wrapping under her to hold her close against him.

Both trembling, they moved in sync, her body sliding against his as they both got closer and closer to their releases. Eric buried his face in her neck, the scent of the fae entering his nostrils and driving him over the edge. He pounded his cock into her tight center and his fangs tore into her neck. Drinking deeply as he felt her come apart around him, he immediately followed her over, shooting ream after ream into her womb.

As she screamed out his name he pulled his fangs from her neck and licked the wound closed. For a few silent moments they simply lay there with her hand stroking through his hair. As her breathing slowed, he rolled them over and pulled her on top of him, her face tucked into his chest.

His long arms reached down to pull the blankets up over them, happier than he would ever admit in that moment. Feeling Sookie's exhaustion through the bond, he ran his fingers through her hair slowly without speaking.

"Eric?"

"Yes lover?"

"What's gonna happen now?"

"I do not know Sookie."

He could have been answering any number of questions. And they both knew it.

Sookie closed her eyes, turning her face into his huge chest.

"She'll come back, won't she?"

"Yes."

"You won't let her get me, will you?"

"No Sookie, I will not."

"Eric?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Before he could reply, Sookie was fast asleep, leaving the 1000 year old viking wondering what the hell he'd gotten himself into.

**A/N - **_Hope you enjoyed. Also hope the ending wasn't too out of character, but I promised lemons, so lemons you got. I have read about a trillion True Blood fics where Eric and Sookie hook up, and then go to the queens compound, where they manage to avoid having to give Sookie to her etc etc. I thought I'd do mine a little differently, let me know what you think. And about the confrontation - I wanted to give Sookie a chance to defend herself in her own right. She's proved more than once in the books and the show that she's not afraid to defend herself no matter who she's up against, so after her initial terror I wanted her to do just that. Anyway, I won't apologise for this chapter, but not because I think its any good._

_Thank you once again to the reviewers, please continue to share your thoughts and the offer is still open to anyone who feels they have any ideas or suggestions they would like to share. _

_Till next time x_


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N - **Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. Computer problems have held it up quite a bit.

I now have a beta - the FANTASTIC AmaZen! Any improvement on my writing this chapter is purely down to her. Her contribution has made this a far better chapter than it was to start with. Any mistakes are my own as I added to the story after I got it back.

Also - I'd like to recommend to anyone who reads this, a very good story called Eric's Demons by a new fanfic writer called notdoneatforty. This writer is fantastic so please go check out 'Eric's Demon's' if you want to read an original and well-written Eric/Sookie story. For anyone who can't find the story, it is saved in my favourites on my profile!!

As always, enjoy and reviews are always appreciated, but never insisted upon x

Chapter 11

_She stood alone. The darkness closed in from every angle, everywhere she turned. Her hands, though set in front of her as she attempted to feel her way out of the heaving blackness that surrounded her, were completely encased, invisible to her eyes. It was cold here. Harsh. A low moaning noise was steadily growing, beating against her eardrums, working its way down into her very soul. It didn't seem to have a direct source. It was just there, a part of the dark void she found herself in._

_Sookie did not like this. She did not like this one little bit._

_"Sooookiiieee"_

_"Who's there?"_

_"You have failed us girl. Failed us all. The murder, the death, the chaos. It is all your fault. You murdered your grandmother Sookie Stackhouse, just as sure as if you'd held the knife yourself...You allowed those monsters to take your cousin, probably to meet her death.."_

_"NO!" Sookie cried, pain clawing at her heart. "No.. stop it!"_

_"You lie to yourself... her blood is on your hands. Always a disappointment you were. As a daughter, as a granddaughter... Sookie Stackhouse the freak. Ruining lives whenever you touch them..."_

_Sookie covered her ears desperately with her hands but it was no use. The voice was just as loud, screaming in her eardrums._

_The blackness faded away. The sight that met the frightened telepath made her wish it had remained. To shield her from this. Her mother, face distorted with hatred, walking around her only daughter in a slow circle, her words vicious and cruel... and true._

_"The shame of my loins," Sookie's mother hissed, her voice almost unrecognisable. "The freak of the family. How you embarrassed your father and I. With your curse. That's what you are my child... a curse. Since the day you were born you were nothing but a curse. A burden on our family. We were glad to die and be rid of you..."_

_"No. Please. Please stop," Sookie managed to mutter through her tears. The pain and anger in her heart taking her over._

_"Why should I stop Sookie? You never did. Spilling the secrets of our friends and neighbours. Letting your curse weigh on us, never once stopping, never caring how it affected your family."_

_"That's not true!" Sookie cried out. "I tried... I tried to stop. I was just a little... I was just a little girl! I didn't know how to stop I couldn't. Even when I wanted to I tried mum I did..." She sobbed._

_"Poor Sookie," Her mother whispered, "Poor picked on little Sookie. Poor murdering, vampire loving Sookie..."_

_Sookie's eyes went wide as two new figures joined her mother to circle around her slowly, hate filled voices adding to her despair._

_"Was it worth it Sookie? Was my death worth you getting to fuck that vampire?"_

_"No, Gran! No, please - "_

_"My little girl. You killed my mother, child. I wish it had been you in her stead."_

_"Dad... please, no. I'm sorry. Please I'm so sorry just stop please just stop please..."_

_"You've brought this on yourself, by being too stupid and too weak to control yourself. first with your ability and then with your hormones. You're just a selfish waste of space and you deserve every bit of pain you are feeling," Her father growled._

_Sookie shrank back horrified as the distorted, grey faces of her parents and grandmother closed in on her. Their arms, pale white and boney, reaching out to grab at her, to punish her for all of the harm she had caused. Closer and closer they came, snarling their hatred at her..._

And Sookie woke up screaming.

Arms flailing, she felt Eric's cool embrace around her and it brought her no comfort. She struggled against him, crying and screaming, desperate to be away from him.

Eric simply held her. For perhaps the first time in a thousand years he had nothing to say. No words of comfort came to soothe her pain. He had no idea how to fix this. Having witnessed the dream in its entirety, he'd found that he was frozen in place, powerless to move until the dream had ended. While this was unsettling enough, he had the small matter of a completely broken telepath to deal with as well.

Did she really believe that the deaths of most of her family were really her fault? Obviously she did. Which was ridiculous in itself, Eric knew, but apparently his bonded didn't feel that way. She was once again blaming herself for things outside her control. It made him furious. Although this had been merely a dream, Sookie was deeply affected and he didn't have the first clue how to make her see reason.

Life was rarely fair, and always difficult. He knew better than anyone that no matter the blessings a person was given, there was usually a steep price to pay. As a child, Sookie had paid the price for the gift of her telepathy, and had paid again as an adult for finding love with a vampire. Even the death of her grandmother hadn't been enough to "punish" her. The first man she had ever loved had betrayed her horribly. Yes, it was completely unfair. And Eric found himself raging on her behalf against whatever gods had placed this nightmare upon her.

Which was why, as she struggled her way out of his arms he simply stayed silent and let her run wildly through her home, allowing her to get the pain out of her system. He watched without comment as she finally stopped in the living room and began picking up vases and keepsakes, smashing them against the walls, fireplace and television.

It was why, as she collapsed to the floor, sobs wracking her body, he let her cry, a dark, silent angel watching her work through her pain. And it was why he had simply walked out the door when she lifted her head and murmured brokenly, "I don't want this. I don't want you. I hate you. Everything I loved is gone, and it's your fault. All of you. Get out. And don't come back. I'd rather die than ever see you again."

He'd fought to win her, and now it seemed as though Eric had lost Sookie to her pain forever. He ignored the hollow ache in his chest as he flew home to Shreveport, went straight to the room he had stayed in with her and buried his face in the pillow still carrying her scent. But even the cold, ruthless Eric Northman could not ignore the single red tear that slid down his cheek and wound its way slowly down his neck as he closed his eyes and wished for the dawn.

* * *

**Two Weeks Later**

_She was standing in her own backyard._

_Although it looked a little different, it was definitely her own back yard. The moon shone brightly, adding an almost eerie glow to everything around her. She looked down at herself and saw that she was still clad in Eric's shirt. It hung down over her thighs and covered her backside. Her feet were bare, yet still warm despite the cold, dewy grass beneath them. Strange. She should have been shivering out here in just a shirt, but she found that she wasn't cold at all. 'I'm definitely dreaming,' she thought._

_Looking up to take in her surroundings again, she saw that her Grans house looked newer. The shutters on the window frames looked freshly painted. The whole outside of the house looked better than she had seen it for a long time. No money and even less free time were a serious hindrance when it came to keeping a home looking good._

_A sudden rustling behind her caused her to jump. Heart racing, she turned to see a man walking towards her. He was tall, and looked positively aristocratic in a dark, well-fitted suit. As he got closer her eyes widened - he was beautiful. He also bore a striking resemblance to someone she had seen before, yet she couldn't quite remember who._

_She realized almost immediately that while he was walking gracefully towards her, his eyes were fixed steadily on something over her right shoulder._

_"Fintan..."_

_Sookie whirled, seeking out the familiar voice that had called softly from behind her._

_"Gran!" she exclaimed, coming face to face with a much younger version of her grandmother._

_Gone was the grey hair and deeply wrinkled face, replaced by the beautiful golden blonde tresses and smooth skin of a woman of around Sookie's own age. She stepped catiously towards the woman, certain that this was Gran in her younger years, outside the home she had lived in since her marriage._

_Sookie stopped with a jolt as her earlier dream came screaming back to her. Eric. Bill. The strange man who had taken Eric from her and then whispered in her ear that only she could prevent that horrible fate from coming to pass._

_She stared at her grandmother, who had adressed the man who so resembled the man called Niall, who in her previous dream had taken Eric away from her. Fear crept into her heart as it dawned on her that this man was probably here to take Gran, just like he had taken the Viking._

_"Gran, get back. Please don't go near him!" She pleaded, watching as the man passed her to approach her grandmother, neither of them paying the slightest bit of attention to the frantic girl. Sookie reached out to grab him, though she had no clue what to do next - and was astonished to find that her hands went right through him. She couldn't touch him at all!_

_"Gran! Don't let him near you! Please..."_

_But her pleas fell on deaf ears, as neither of the other people in the garden seemed to see or hear her._

_"Adele." The man named Fintan breathed, lifting Adele's hand and kissing the back of it reverently. Sookie watched in horror as her Gran smiled softly at the man before her._

_"What the hell is going on here?" she exclaimed, only to be ignored again._

_"You look beautiful Adele, as always."_

_Sookie's eyes bulged in shock her grandmother's shy and flirtatious giggle rang through the garden. 'Well. That just isn't right! My grandfather is probably inside the house!' she thought indignantly. Her Gran always did appreciate a handsome man, but to flirt with one right outside the home she shared with her husband... This defintely wasn't right! If she wasn't sure this was a dream before, she certainly was now._

_"I've missed you so much Fintan," Adele said quietly. "Where have you been? There is so much to tell you - "_

_The man reached out and held a finger softly against her grandmother's lips._

_"Sssshhh my darling, we haven't much time. I must leave you shortly and I do not know when I will be able to return."_

_"I - But what do you mean? You can't leave me now Fintan!" Sookie watched as the young version of her Gran tearily adressed the stranger._

_"I have to Adele. My father bids me to return to my duties in my own world. You cannot come with me my love, you must remain here." His hands slid around to rest against Adele's slightly swollen stomach. Sookie strained to hear him as he whispered softly, "You must stay here and raise our boy Adele."_

_Sookie's mouth dropped open in astonishment as her grandmother's hands came down to rest upon his with a sad smile. "Please don't leave me Fintan," she said quietly._

_"I must, my darling human. You know my father will not allow me to stay. And you would not survive in my world. My people are vicious. You know this. It would never be safe for you or for our child in the Fae world. It is barely safe for me, and I am only half human."_

_"And our son?" Adele stared hard at her Faery lover. "What about him? What do I tell him when he asks me of his father?" Her demanding expression was similar to one that often appeared on Sookie's face._

_Fintan regarded her soberly. "You will tell him that your husband, his father, loves him."_

_Adele was clearly stunned. "You want me to lie to him? Lie to my husband?"_

_"This is the way it must be, Adele Stackhouse. You love your husband, and he will care for and protect you and our child. He will be a special boy Adele. And his children will be even more so. This was always meant to be my love," He said, lifting his hand up to cradle her face. "The day will come when I will return to claim you and our child again. Until then, know that I will always be with you."_

_Sookie turned away, disgusted, as the man leaned forward to embrace her grandmother tenderly. This could not be real. What kind of dream was this? A man who claimed to be from another world, a faery world, telling her Gran that her son was his child? Impossible. Just. Impossible._

_She heard a dry sob and turned back to see that the man was gone and her grandmother had sunk to the ground, crying softly. Sookie moved over to kneel before the woman who had raised her. "Oh Gran... please don't cry,"she whispered. Sookie felt helpless, hating that her Gran still didn't seem to see or hear her. She tried to touch her Gran's arm and watched in dismay as her hand passed right through it. Her heart ached for the broken-hearted woman in front of her, even as she told herself that this was just a dream, and couldn't possibly have really happened._

_Adele's face finally turned towards Sookie, her mouth opened as though she were about to speak. Sookie's heart sped up, 'Maybe she can finally see me!'_

_"Yo, Sook," her Gran said, in a very deep, familiar male voice. "Time for sleepin' beauty to wake up and cook me breakfast!"_

Sookie's eyes shot open to be met with an amused smirk from Lafayette.

"And finally the princess awakens. I thought I was gon' have to play the handsome prince and kiss a woman for a sec there!" he exclaimed, looking comically disgusted at the idea.

Sookie ignored his joke, her mind still whirling with the events of her latest odd dream. Lafayette noticed the slightly dazed look on her face and smirked again. "And just who, might I ask, is Fintan? I will have to tell yo Viking lover you been dreamin' about some other dudes when he not around," he threatened lightly. Her answering scowl was enough to silence him and he all but fled from the room.

She'd been very touchy about the subject of the sexy Viking for the past couple of weeks. Whenever anyone mentioned him, she visibly stiffened, her eyes darkening. After a few days of this, everyone but Layfayette had gotten the message and made a point of avoiding his name in her presence.

Sookie had finally broken after she'd awakened that fateful night two weeks ago, when the queen had tried and failed to take her. It wasn'tpretty. She'd cried and yelled and thrown things around her living room before finally crumpling onto the carpet and telling an unusually silent Eric that she didn't want to see him again. The words had spilled hatefully from her lips. Never mind that she had regretted them the moment they came out, it was too late. The damage had been done. He'd left.

She cringed now, sitting up in her bed and recalling that night. After she and Eric had made love, she had fallen peacefully asleep in his arms only to land in a nightmare starring her parents and her Gran. They had crowded around her, their faces grey and bloodless, their boney arms reaching out to grab her, to punish her. Telling her that their deaths all her fault. That she had been too weak and too stupid to save them, to save Hadley, to save herself.

Sookie had woken up screaming that she was sorry and immediately began pounding frantically at Eric's chest, yelling at him as loud as she could. She couldn't believe now, two weeks later, how Eric had never once tried to stop her. He'd just watched her in silence, allowing her to pummel his chest for all she was worth and then followed and watched as she'd gotten up and all but destroyed her own living room.

The words she'd flung at him echoed in her head now, mocking her with their hatefulness. She had never imagined herself capable of such venom and spite. When she had finally looked up, with wild eyes and hair stuck to the tears on her cheeks, Eric was gone. She hadn't even heard him leave. She'd curled into a ball right there on the floor and cried.

And there she had remained until mid-morning, when Sam and Lafayette, along with Alcide and Quinn, had found her stiff and un-moving, her eyes staring off somewhere none of them could follow.

It had been a full day before she had spoken a word to anyone. The boys had graciously cleaned up her living room and kept their distance, giving her some much needed space while still watching over her and making sure she was safe. She had retreated to her room and stayed there. When she finally left her room after sundown on the second day, she'd gotten a huge shock. Cosied up on the sofa next to Lafayette was none other than Pam, Eric's child and partner in Fangtasia.

While Sookie had stared open mouthed in shock, Pam shared a smirk with Lafayette before announcing casually, "Sookie dear, you look terrible." As A greeting from Pam, it was actually quite polite.

Once she'd found her voice, Sookie had stammered, "Pam, what - what are you doing here?"

"Well, I certainly didn't come to admire the furniture. Honestly, Sookie, I know you are a strange human in many ways, but flower-print seats? Where people can actually see them?"

Sookie had bristled at that. She began spluttering angrily at her home invader and Pam immediately shut her down by explaining that Eric had ordered her to guard Sookie at night. A revelation that had only served to fuel Sookie's anger.

"And what makes Eric think that I want his protection?" she'd asked. The last thing she needed was a nightly reminder of him. In pushing him away she had hurt herself. Of course she hadn't wanted him to go. Why couldn't he see that? She'd lashed out at him verbally before and he'd usually just smirked at her before coming up with some smart-ass reply. Not this time. He hadn't even gotten angry. He'd just left. It hurt. She felt his absence acutely even then and it had only been two nights!

She was furious with him for leaving her, and even more furious with herself. Though she couldn't work out whether she was mad at herself for making him go, or mad at herself for caring one way or another where Eric Northman was. Either way, Sookie Stackhouse was furious!

Hands on hips, she'd glared balefully as Pam raised an eyebrow.

"You are Eric's bonded. Your safety is his responsibility. And he takes care of his responsibilities," the vampire had informed her. "And to be honest, you're both pissing people off. I don't know what little spat you've had, but you need to sort it out. He is intolerable at the moment and as your friend here tells me, so are you." That Pam. She never beat around the bush when someone needed telling off.

Lafayette shrugged apologetically, but he didn't contradict his new friend. Sookie had glared at the both of them and stormed back to her room.

The next night she didn't venture out at all.

The night after that, she had resolved to stop feeling sorry for herself and face the world again. She left her room, and making an effort to be polite, had fixed Pam a blood and Lafayette a coke without being asked. Once again, they were on the sofa and appeared to be the only people in the house.

They appeared to have resolved their differences and were acting quite friendly towards each other. Sookie failed to realize it, but their bonding came about over mutual worry over Eric and Sookie.

After that, the days had passed with no more outbursts from Sookie as they all fell into a routine of avoiding the subjects of Eric, vamp heirarchy and Bill Compton. Her daytime protectors didn't see much of her and Sookie spent most of her evenings watching movies or playing cards with Pam and Lafayette.

Once you got past the overwhelming terror that she might drain you at any second, Pam was actually very good company. She had an endless supply of witty remarks and a rather comical obsession with Dear Abby. When it came her turn last night to choose a movie to watch, while arguing with Sookie over whether or not an all-woman porn film counted as an actual "movie", Pam had announced, very seriously, "But Dear Abby says it is vital that a woman stay in touch with her female friends and indulge in all-girl activities as often as possible while dealing with a heartbreak. Really, Sookie, watching 'Dude, Where's My Dildo?' with us, your friends, would help you a great deal." Lafayette had howled with laughter for a full ten minutes, while Sookie turned bright red and flat out refused to have anything pornographic in her home.

Sookie gave a wry smile now as she stretched and climbed out of bed.

Pulling Eric's shirt off, she ran her fingers over the soft material and sighed deeply as her heart gave a lurch. Eric. She missed him so badly it was almost a physical pain, as was her guilt over having treated him so badly. But she was stubbornly determined that she would not seek him out.

After all, he had left. Eric had known that she was upset when she had said those things, and, she thought, 'Let's face it, it's not like I haven't said them before. He just laughed at me then. What's so different this time? He can't actually believe that I meant it. Can he?' Surely he could feel her longing through their bond. He must know how much she wanted him, needed him. Especially now.

Now that she had remembered the frightening dream of the man called Niall, fear clutched at her heart. What if - what it they were real? First Eric being taken and then Gran and the half-human faery man? What if they weren't simply dreams but visions of things that had already happened and things that were going to happen?

There was only one way to understand what was going on. She had to find out if the two strangers, Niall and Fintan, actually existed or were just a creation of her hurt and worn out mind. If they did exist, it could only mean that Sookie's dreams were not just dreams, but something entirely different. Unfortunately, the only people who could possibly tell her if the men in her dreams were actually real were her grandmother and Eric. Since Gran was dead, that left Eric as her only hope of figuring it out._ Well hell._

She sighed again and looked down at the shirt still clutched in her hands. She had taken to wearing it to bed at night. Eric's scent had remained on it for the first couple of nights, then faded. After she'd washed it, she still found herself automatically grabbing it and pulling it on, night after night. Though his scent had faded, it was still his. There was comfort in going to sleep wrapped in something of his and comfort was what she desperately needed at the moment.

She didn't feel guilty for keeping the shirt. Hell, Eric probably hadn't even noticed its absence.

And now, she would probably have to face him again to ask about Niall. He'd be able to tell her whether he knew this man. Of course, whether he chose to tell her or not, after everything, was another matter. Still, Pam would be here tonight, maybe she would know something and Sookie wouldn't have to see Eric at all. As she washed and dressed for the day, then headed to the kitchen for breakfast, she found herself hoping that Pam wouldn't know a damn thing about either man.

The day passed slowly. Though confusion and fear were pretty much a constant presence, she also felt hope begin to spark inside of her. _Maybe if I see him he'll say that it was all just bad dreams and there's nothing to fear. Maybe then he'll forgive me for the terrible things I said and take me to his office to let me make it up to him..._

She seriously doubted it, but it was a nice fantasy.

* * *

The moment Pam arrived at the door, Sookie swung it open and ushered her inside. The vampire lifted a brow at that. She hadn't seen the girl this animated in weeks. "How are you this evening Sookie?" she asked, surprised at her own genuine concern. Even with all of the human pets she kept, Pam could honestly say she had never given a damn about a human's well-being beyond their usefulness. Until now. Her master was completely obsessed with the girl; his constant brooding of late had been driving her crazy, and now Pam was beginning to see why. Sookie was both fascinating and challenging. She rarely showed fear, and anytime that she did it was usually followed swiftly by her ballsy firecracker attitude. It was clear to all that, though she might be afraid, she wouldn't go down easily.

Plus, she had killer breasts. And Pam was very much a breast woman. It was a pity really that Sookie and Eric were so thoroughly addicted to each other. Having watched them try to deal with their current seperation, Pam knew better than anyone just how much it was hurting them both.

Eric stormed around Fangtasia in a foul mood most nights. That is, when he even bothered to show up. With Pam spending so much time at the Stackhouse residence, that left Chow to pick up the slack at the bar. His frequent texts kept her informed of Eric's doings and according to the barman, when Eric wasn't terrorizing fangbangers he was in his office practising with one of his swords. He wasn't fucking, or even feeding.

And as for Sookie, she had spent Pam's first evenings here looking, talking and acting like some sort of zombie. After her angry outburst on that first night, she had been polite but distant. Lafayette had informed her that Sookie stayed in her room for most of the day and Pam saw for herself how tired and drawn she looked when she ventured out at night. After a few days Sookie had begun interacting more, even suggesting movies they could watch, or assisting Pam against Lafayette's blatant cheating at cards. But still she looked like shit and whenever the room was silent for longer than a few seconds, her eyes took on a painful faraway look. Pam would have given her most expensive pair of pumps to find out what exactly Sookie and Eric had fallen out over.

"Oh I'm fine," Sookie said, gesturing for Pam to sit down. As Pam passed her to take a seat, she caught the unmistakable whiff of alcohol coming from Sookie. 'Well Miss Stackhouse, just what have you been up to?' she thought.

Pam smirked at the telepath. "Where is Lafayette this evening?"

"He's out. I wanted to see you, alone." The vampire's eyebrows rose speculatively. "I have to ask you something Pam, and I need you to be honest with me," Sookie said earnestly.

"Yes I would like to have sex with you, and no we don't have to tell Eric about it," Pam replied immediately. She smirked as Sookie instantly turned bright red, exclaiming "Pam!" in a scandalised tone.

"I wanted to know...I mean... Have you - have you ever heard of a man named Niall?" Sookie asked quietly, almost fearfully. Pam was immediately on alert. "Sookie has anyone visited you without my knowledge?" Eric had warned her to be vigilant of any Fae visitors Sookie may receive. She was to inform him immediately if any turned up at Sookie's door. If it was Niall Brigant the telepath was referring to, then Pam had indeed heard of him. He was a faery prince. A very powerful old man.

Sookie shook her head, aware that she had hit a nerve with her question. "Not visited no. Not exactly..."

Pam looked at her, non-plussed. "Sookie how do you know of Niall?"

"I. Well." The girl paused and reached down to the floor beside her chair to pick up a half-full glass of clear liquid. She took a big swallow, then screwed up her face as the drink burned its way down her throat. Pam watched her carefully. It wasn't like Sookie to need Dutch courage. Whatever was going on was not good. "I had a dream about him." _Definitely not good._

"What happened in this dream?"

Sookie took a deep, clearing breath, her eyes refusing to meet Pam's. She said quietly, "It's not just him. There was another man too. A man who looked like him. In my dream last night. He was with my Gran. He said - He said that he was the father of my Gran's baby... My father."

Watching the girl as she shuddered and drank down the rest of her drink, Pam's brain went into overdrive. A man who looks like Niall Brigant, claiming to be Sookie's grandfather? 'Oh this was just too good,' she thought. 'Eric had said she was part fae, but he had never said that she didn't know it. She certainly seems surprised. And if this man in her dream is who I think he is, that would make Niall Brigant Sookie's great-grandfather.... She's a faery princess!'

Eyeing Sookie with new interest, she sat forward and said, "Niall Brigant is Prince of the Fae, Sookie."

The human girl's eyes widened in astonishment. "I... There... There really are faeries? I.... Does that mean my dreams were real? Fintan is my real grandfather?"

"Well I cannot be certain considering that you were merely dreaming, but you are part Fae. And Fintan is Niall Brigant's son. I believe his mother was human, but I can't be sure. The Fae ten to avoid vampires wherever possible as their blood is irressistable and their scent is intoxicating to us."

Sookie had stopped listening at the part where Pam had casually informed her that she was part-Fae. "I'm not... I'm not even human?"

She was glad she'd had that vodka now. This was too much information to take in at once, so she focused, slightly tipsy, on the most important part. "Pam... if the information in my dreams was real, does that mean the events in them were real too?"

"I have not much experience in these areas of course, but I would assume that yes, they were real. Perhaps you are a psychic after all dear Sookie." Pam smiled, rather devilishly. Clearly Pam was imagining all the ways a psychic Sookie could entertain her.

Horror sank to the pit of Sookie's stomach as she took this in. 'If it's real then they're gonna take Eric!' The fact that her grandmother must have cheated on the man she had believed to be her grandfather all her life took a backseat for the moment. The terror and hurt of her dreams of Eric and Niall all but consumed her. She jumped unsteadily to her feet, surprising the vampire. "Pam... Pam we have to warn Eric!"

Pam looked taken aback. A rare occurence -- her facial expressions were usually confined to bored or aggravated. "Why on earth would we have to warn Eric that your grandmother had a thing for faeries?"

"You don't understand. My first dream, the one that had Niall in... He took... Eric was there too. And Bill. Pam, the man in my dream took Eric away. He said it was time for his final battle and that Eric had to embrace his fate," Sookie blurted out. "Please Pam, if that was real, you have to warn him!"

Pam took one look at the half-hysterical girl and knew that Sookie had, quite simply, lost it. "Sookie, calm down. We'll go to Eric right now and you can tell him about these dreams."

That was enough to make Sookie pause. _Hell. _She was frightened for him, and she missed him more than she would admit, even to herself, but facing him was an entirely different matter. "I... Can't you just tell him what I saw and what it might mean? I mean, I don't really _need_ to be there..."

"Enough, Sookie. I don't give a fuck what happened between the two of you. You will come with me and you will tell Eric everything. Now!"

With that, she unceremoniously grabbed Sookie by the arm and half-dragged her out to the car. If her master was in any sort of danger then Pam would not allow their differences to get in the way of protecting him. Pam cared for nothing other than her maker and she would not allow any harm come to him.

Sookie, still semi-drunk and in a state of shocked horror, struggled half-heartedly against the vampire. "I can walk by myself thank you very much," She snapped, glaring up to find that the vampire had gone very still. "Pam?" Sookie followed Pam's gaze and let out a shocked yelp as she saw who was leaning against her abductor's car.

"Is there any particular reason why you are manhandling my human, Pamela?"

Sookie's eyes went huge. Eric. He looked good. Really good. Lounging against his child's car in a grey suit and green shirt, looking for all the world like a runway model. She cursed herself inwardly for not even running a brush through her hair before she left. Though Pam probably wouldn't have given her the chance. Speaking of Pam -

"We were coming to see you Master." She bowed her head in his direction and let go of Sookie.

Eric's eyes trailed over Sookie from head to toe before he turned to speak to his child. Sookie's heartbeat had increased considerably.

"And why were you doing that?" he asked, the words rolling smoothly off his tongue. Sookie blinked at them both.

"Sookie has been having some worrying dreams. We fear that the contents of those dreams may actually come to pass - "

At this, Sookie spoke up quietly, adressing her shoes. "One of them already has." Her cheeks burned as she saw both vampires flick their gazes to her. _Oh well... in for a penny... _She looked up, forcing her eyes to meet Eric's, and swallowed hard once before speaking, "We think you might be in danger."

Eric stared into Sookie's face. She looked terrible. Of course as an unwilling witness to her dreams, he already knew what had the women so panicked. And they were panicked. He could feel Sookie's fear and apprehension beating at him through the bond, and as Pam's Maker, he was aware of her emotions.

He'd already decided that it was time to visit Sookie after seeing her dream of Fintan, and was quite surprised to find that she was on her way to warn him when he'd shown up. After all, she had told him to stay away. Not that he had planned on listening to her. The last two weeks had been one long nightmare. There was no longer any joy to be had from feeding on fangbangers and he couldn't even summon the will or desire to have sex with any of them either. The lust that naturally followed a feeding was becoming no more than an annoyance.

He'd tried to push Sookie out of his thoughts and found that it was an impossible task. Just this evening he had had an exceptionally beautiful woman on her knees in front of him, just waiting to have his cock in her mouth. Instead, he had glared at the woman in disgust before glamouring her to forget the encounter altogether.

The telepath was affecting him too much. Without even realising it she was fast taking over his world, and this was part of the reason for his absence from her life for the past couple of weeks. Sookie herself was proof that emotions only served to destroy you in the end. The effect she had on him, the power both her blood and her body had over him, and possibly most importantly, the fact that she had already predicted his final death in what was looking more and more like a very real vision, were all very good indications that Sookie Stackhouse really would be the death of him. What he hated most was that part of him thought she was worth dying for.

Especially since for two weeks now he'd felt nothing but disgust and shame coming from her through their bond. Longing too. He wrongly assumed that the shame and disgust were for him and his kind, and that the longing was for the family she had lost. Now, however, as his gaze penetrated her, he felt a wave of that longing coming from her again. His eyes steady on hers, he adressed Pam.

"Retur till klubben Pam. JAG skal finnas kvar här med Sookie."

"Verkligen , Övervinna. Hon er helt berusning. Och hellre rädsla till deras. Jag inte veta varför du inte rättvis ta henne hem och hålla henne där. Den skulle rädda du all av den här bekymra sig." Pam replied.

Sookie watched as Eric turned to look at Pam, a calculating look on his face.

"Du kan ha rett. Hur... än nu är inte tiden till diskutera den. JAG er medveten om vad hon såg. Gå nu , Jag vill vara i beröring framför gryning."

This was getting annoying. She glared between the two vampires, "You know it's awfully rude to talk about someone in another language while they're standing right here!"

Pam simply smirked and with a quick kiss to Sookie's cheek, she climbed into her car and disappeared.

Leaving her alone with the damn Viking.

Silence stretched between the couple. Neither seemed to know what to say. Sookie sighed heavily and started towards the house, only to be stopped by the sudden pressure of Eric's cold hand on her arm. She turned her face up, peering at him beneath her half closed lashes. "Eric..." Falling silent as his other hand came up to caress her face, she gave a small contented sigh. It had been far too long since he'd touched her. She found herself turning into his hand, her lips finding the centre of his palm.

Her eyes focused on his, she watched as his own face relaxed into a look of pleasure. Before she could process her thoughts properly, her body had taken over. Perhaps the vodka had increased her bravery, because she had her hands in his hair, pulling his lips down to hers surprisingly fast.

Whatever was coming was sure to be bad. Fatal even. But right now, he was back, and Sookie didn't have the slightest intention of ever letting him go again.

"Did you know you were bonded to a faery princess?" she breathed against his lips.

"I did not." He replied softly, pulling her flush against him.

"You know what it means don't you?" She asked him, tilting her head back as his lips found her throat.

"What does it mean?" He half-moaned, as her scent hit him like a ton of bricks. His cock, already stiff for her, began throbbing, trapped uncomfortably inside his trousers.

"Your throne at Fangtasia is so mine."

His laughter rang through the air as the Viking warrior scooped his woman safely into his arms and carried her into the house.

* * *

Translations -

*Retur till klubben Pam. JAG skal finnas kvar här med Sookie. -

Return to the club Pam. I shall remain here with Sookie.

*Verkligen , Övervinna. Hon er helt berusning. Och hellre rädsla till deras. Jag inte veta varför du inte rättvis ta henne hem och hålla henne där. Den skulle rädda du all av den här bekymra sig. -

Indeed, Master. She is quite intoxicated. And rather fearful for you. I do not know why you do not just take her home and keep her there. It would save you all of this bother.

*Du kan ha rett. Hur... än nu är inte tiden till diskutera den. JAG er medveten om vad hon såg. Gå nu , Jag vill vara i beröring framför gryning.

-

You may be right. However now is not the time to discuss it. I am aware of what she saw. Go now, I will be in touch before dawn.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N -** Hello everyone! I just have to say I'm so sorry for the long break between updates. Personal issues got in the way and as much as I love writing, it had to take a backseat.

This chapter is shorter than usual, but necessary to push the story forward, so bear with me.

Thanks go to my wonderful beta Amazen who literally fixed this whole chapter.

To all of you who have reviewed and added author and story alerts and favourites, thank you so much! You make the effort of doing it all worth it. Please continue to do so, the support keeps me writing when I really feel like giving the whole thing up.

Now! On with the story. Enjoy, let me know what you think.

Chapter 12

He carried her over the threshold, holding her gently but firmly against his chest. Eric knew that she would want to talk. That she would need him to soothe her fears. And he knew he needed to confess that he had been silent witness to her dreams ever since she had ingested his blood.

But right now, with her heavenly scent calling to him, the deep-seated longing he felt coming from her was all he could focus on. So when she tilted her face up to speak to him, he simply dipped his head down and captured her lips with his own in a deep, sensual kiss.

Sookie groaned softly as his mouth closed over hers, parting her lips to allow him access. Her arms wrapped tighter around his shoulders as she clung helplessly to him. Mumbling his name, already lost in his kiss.

His fangs already down, Eric almost dropped her as he felt her tongue run over them. Most human woman were either frightened of them or completely ignored them in intimate moments. But not his Sookie. The way she artfully traced her tongue around them sent sparks of desire through him. His cock strained in his pants, making him want her even more.

They made it to her bedroom, lips welded together. Eric briefly broke away from the kiss to lay her down on the bed. He immediately placed himself above her, but even that was far too long for Sookie. Eric chuckled against her lips as she grabbed his hair and yanked his head back to her.

_Meanwhile..._

Bill watched silently. He was under the cover of the trees separating their homes. Though Eric had carried Sookie inside and shut the door tightly behind them, the Viking's laughter was still very much within his range of hearing. For a moment he considered burning the house down with both of them trapped inside.

He tried very hard to present a human front to the world -- but deep down Bill Compton knew there was a darkness inside him. And it was completely inhuman. In moments like this he wondered whether that darkness had always been a part of him. Or if it had entered his soul with the curse of immortality.

The queen had ordered him to tail Eric and Sookie as much as possible. Although she claimed it was merely to keep an eye on her telepath, Bill knew that this was his punishment. He had failed to keep Sookie from Eric. Had failed to deliver her to his queen. Now he was paying the price for that failure. And punishment it was. He watched, wishing for those awful seconds that he could simply meet the sun and have done with it. Just hearing the way she breathed his sheriff's name, seeing her kiss him so reverently... It had sent flames of agony right through his unbeating heart.

This was not the way it was supposed to be. Sookie belonged with him -- not Eric. Eric had no heart to give as far as Bill was concerned. And Sookie needed somebody to love who could and would love her. Freely and passionately, as she deserved. His bastard sheriff just wasn't capable of that.

_"Eric please."_

Sookie's soft, sensual voice carried out to him. This was more than he could stand. Once again the idea of burning them both in their pleasure entered his mind. Perhaps he would have done it if the queen hadn't assured him that Eric Northman would soon be gone. And that Sookie would be where she belonged.

As the noises from the house increased, he decided they were not going anywhere tonight. It would be safe to leave. His face twisted up with hatred, Bill Compton turned his back on his former lover's house and went home.

_Back in Sookie's house..._

Still fully clothed, Sookie writhed beneath Eric, not caring how wanton she looked. She had abandoned all thoughts and worries to the smooth touch of his hands as they glided down her body. His lips felt like silk as they caressed her throat.

"Eric, please."

He growled against her neck, ripping the clothes from her body. Using his knees, he pushed her legs wide open. Grinding his erection hard against her opening, he felt her heated arousal soak through his trousers and touch his cock. This added to the delicious friction between them. Unable to wait any longer, Eric quickly freed himself and plunged deep inside her in one swift movement.

Savouring the happy moan that tore from his woman's mouth, the Viking buried himself to the hilt and pulled almost all the way out again. He stared down at her as he rammed into her harder than ever before.

All she could do was hang onto him and scream in unbelievable pleasure. Eric sank his fangs into her throat, carrying both of them over that sweet edge and into orgasmic oneness.

Sookie trembled as she ran her hands slowly up and down his back. All the while mumbling incoherently as he drank his fill. When his hunger was finally satisfied, he licked her wounds closed and buried his face in her shoulder. Trying to gather his thoughts and emotions, Eric slipped his arms beneath her and held her even closer against his body. Why was he feeling so choked up and emotional? Sookie was his; he had just reclaimed her -- and yet he felt the urge to cry as he had never cried before.

It was only when he heard a sniffle from her that he realized he was feeling Sookie's emotions. He lifted his head and was shocked to see silent tears pouring down her cheeks. Quickly, he moved off her and pulled her into his arms, cradling her to his chest.

"Did I hurt you Sookie?" He asked, in a voice filled with concern.

Sookie gave a sad little laugh, "Would you care if you did?"

Eric was taken aback. He reached down and turned her face gently upwards. "Yes, I would care. Did I?"

She shook her head, averting her gaze. A swirl of emotions were rushing through her and try as she might, she could not stop the torrent of tears cascading down her cheeks.

"Pam, she said they might. My dreams. She said... She said they might be real. Oh God... she said... You died, Eric. You died. I don't want you to die. I can't. I can't stand the thought of anything happening to you. I've been so frightened I didn't wanna-" she was tripping over her words, pushing them out as though she'd be free of their meaning once they fell from her lips.

Eric held her against him, stroking his fingers through her hair as she cried herself into silence. He said nothing, because truthfully there was nothing he could say. Whatever was going on, he didn't know any more about it than she did. And if he told her now that everything was going to be alright the words could turn out to be a lie. He knew though, that he had to say something. And so he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Would you care if I was finally dead?"

She looked up at him. He had to hold in a smirk as he felt a flicker of irritation through their bond. "Of course I would care Eric! How can you even ask such a thing?"

"Logic, Lover. A few weeks ago you would have been happy to be the one to send me to my final death."

That about did it for Sookie. She threw his arms off of her and got off the bed in a huff. He let her go, an amused smirk settling on his handsome face. This he could handle. Sookie was at her funniest when pissed off.

"That's about the most stupid, idiotic thing to think!" she screeched at him, fumbling furiously for her dressing gown. "I've never wanted you dead. Even when I really should've ya big jerk-off!" she ranted, spotting her dressing gown hanging on the closet door. She ripped it down and yanked it around her naked form. Then she spun around to glare at his grinning face.

"You died Eric. You might find that funny, but I sure as hell don't. I'm not having it anymore! Too damn many people have died. People that I lo-" she stopped dead, very aware of what she had been about to say. Unfortunately for her, Eric was very aware of what she had been about to say too.

He was on his feet and in front of her in half a second, all traces of amusement gone. "People that you what, Sookie?" His gaze was intense. She felt as though he was seeing right through her, all the way into the depths of her soul.

She dimly felt his hands take hold of her arms. She was almost aware that his grip was painful and bound to leave marks. But all she could focus on at that moment was the depth of his ocean-deep eyes. Eyes that held all sorts of warring emotions and thoughts. Eyes that had perhaps seen a little too much. And in them she thought she saw a flicker of hope, of vulnerability. Sookie was frozen to the spot, afraid to look away yet afraid to keep staring into them.

"People that you what Sookie?" he asked again, his voice softer.

"I. Nothing." She replied quietly.

He was about to argue, to force her to say it, when his phone went off. Pam's ringtone. His gaze still on her, he released her and dug out his phone.

"Yes Pam?"

"Eric," came his child's drawl down the line, "You need to come to Fangtasia. Your presence is requested."

"I am busy. It will have to wait." He was about to hang up when her next words stopped him.

"Master, it is imperative that you come to Fangtasia immediately. Niall, Prince of the Fae is here to claim his great-grand daughter."

* * *

Fifteen minutes and a lot of arguing later, Sookie was holding onto Eric for dear life as he flew them towards Fangtasia.

She was scared and worried, even more so because Eric refused to tell her what was going on. From his end of the conversation with Pam, she had gathered that somebody was waiting for them at the club. Judging by how he had crushed his phone the moment the call had ended, Eric was furious about it.

"Eric, please. Will you just tell me what's going on? Is it the queen? Has she come back for me?"

He tightened his arms around her. "No Lover, it is not the queen."

"Then who," she pleaded.

"Sookie, it is Niall."

Her face immediately turned ashen.

"It is alright Lover, he cannot have you. We are bonded, you are mine." He assured her.

"What if it's not me he's here for?" she whispered so low that even the vampire had to strain to hear her.

Eric gave no reply. Before long they were landing in the parking lot of his club. The place was in full swing as crowds of fangbangers awaited entry. Eric ignored the awed looks he was receiving and took Sookie's hand, leading her to the employee entrance. She suddenly tugged on his hand desperately as he went to open the door.

"Please, Eric. Let's just leave." Sookie begged him, certain that if they entered Fangtasia now they might not leave it alive. "Let's just ignore him and go somewhere else until he gives up on whatever he wants from us." Irrational perhaps, but her dreams had left her on edge. Wherever this fairy prince was, she wanted to be hundreds of miles in the opposite direction.

Eric smiled patiently at her, "Sookie, he would find us wherever we went. Though I will keep in mind for future reference that you are not opposed to running away with me." He gave his very Eric grin as he raised her hand to his lips. Kissing the back of it softly, his eyes burning into hers, he whispered, "Trust me."

Her legs suddenly feeling a little weak, she said nothing as he opened the door and steered her past his office and out to the main bar. Pam was already waiting for them.

"Master, Sookie." She bowed her head to Eric and pressed a light kiss on Sookie's cheek. "He is waiting in your office Master." She told Eric.

Eric nodded to Pam, gave Sookie a lingering kiss, then walked away towards his office. Sookie shook her head slowly. about to call after him to come back. To not go in there, where the man she already considered to be the Viking's murderer was waiting, when Pam touched her arm.

"Do not worry Sookie, no harm will come to him here. There are many who would fight by his side if Niall and he come to war."

Somehow, that didn't make Sookie feel any better. But she allowed Pam to steer her towards Eric's booth and sit her down. A waitress Sookie didn't recognize appeared with a large gin and tonic. She barely managed a thank you.

Pam slid into the booth opposite her and watched quietly for a few moments as Sookie all but downed her drink in one gulp. She signalled the waitress to bring another. Still, she waited till Sookie was taking her first sip before speaking.

"You care a great deal for my master, do you not?" It was more of a statement than a question. Sookie answered her anyway.

"I do."

"The trust that he cares for you also. And he will never allow all you have seen to come to pass." Pam said elegantly, as though they were merely two girls dicussing shoes.

Sookie opened her mouth to reply, but stopped when she saw Pam's face had gone uncharacteristically blank.

"Eric is calling. Wait here." She told Sookie, getting to her feet.

"Like hell I will." Sookie replied, jumping up to follow the vampire. They both made it through the office door in time to see Eric arguing fiercely with the tall, beautiful man from Sookie's dream.

Both men turned to look at the newcomers. Sookie flinched automatically at the feral, furious look on Eric's face. She didn't think she had ever seen him so angry. His features softened for a split second as he motioned for her to come to his side, then reverted back to cold fury. She quickly scooted under the arm he held out to her. All the while, she refused to shift her gaze to the other man in the room.

"And now that you have seen her, you can leave." Eric's hostile voice reverberated around the room.

"I am not going anywhere Northman," the Prince replied. "I came here to speak with my great-grand daughter. To claim her as my rightful family. I will not leave until I have done so."

"Are you sure you didn't just come here to kill Eric?" Sookie burst out before she could stop herself. The man looked at her in astonishment, but she wasn't finished yet. "I know who you are. I know what you want and I'll never allow you to have it. I've dreamed about you, I've seen what you're planning to do to Eric. If you think you can use me to do it then you're wrong!"

Her burst of courage seemed to run out then, so she pressed closer into Eric's side and concentrated on keeping her glare on her great- grandfather.

"My child, you think I mean you and your Viking harm. But I do not." The man spoke softly, moving towards her. "I did not know that the dreams had begun. If I had known I would have come to you sooner." Despite his beauty, the Prince's eyes looked old and sad.

"I. You knew I would dream about it?" Sookie asked shakily. She looked up to Eric, but his face was a mask of stone and she couldn't tell what he was thinking behind it.

"My child, your telepathy was only one of many gifts bestowed upon you at the time of your birth. Some have yet to make themselves known, but the gift of prophetic dreams was always meant to be yours." He told her solemly.

"Gift? Gift? You think it's a gift to be bombarded with thoughts every single second of my life? From every single human being I come across? You think it's a gift to have to dream about losing someone I, someone I care about?" She growled at him angrily.

"I am here to help you my child. To help you both. What is about to unfold has been written in the stars for hundreds of years. This was always going to happen. The vampire queen who seeks to own you moves against you both already. You are both watched at all times by unfriendly eyes. The moment you are away from Northman they will move." He reached out now, touched her fce gently. She stared up at him, horror and fear mingling inside her. But she did not push him away. "If you allow me to claim you as my family, I will be able to use all the resources of my kingdom to protect and aid you. This queen you have angered is far more dangerous than you can imagine."

His eyes flicked briefly to Eric, "Yes, even to you Northman."

Sookie shook her head silently. For once, she had nothing to say. Eric pulled her closer to him, watching Niall intently.

"If you claim her, what will happen?" This time it was Pam who had spoken up. Niall regarded her as though he hadn't seen her standing there until now.

"For the most part, nothing. Usually when a Fae relative is claimed as one of our own, they are brought to our home realm and kept there." He paused at the loud growl erupting from Eric, then continued as though he hadn't heard him. "However, I do not wish to take my great-grand daughter from her home and the people she loves. She will be placed under my protection. All Fae of my kingdom who live in or visit this world and all supernaturals will know that she is my family. Harming her will bring swift and painful death. And perhaps start a war that they cannot possibly win."

Silence followed as Niall's words sank in. Finally, Eric spoke. "Very well, we shall think about what you have said and inform you of our decision in due time."

If Sookie had a problem with Eric speaking for her, she was too stunned to say it out loud. She merely watched as Niall inclined his head to the two vamps and leaned over to kiss her cheek softly. "I am truly happy to meet you my child. I am only sorry that it is in these circumstances that we finally get to speak."

He turned to leave, three sets of eyes following him. Just as he reached the door he turned back to them. His face was grave and his words were solely for Sookie. "Only you can save him from this fate my child, remember that. Do not take too long to decide." With that, he was gone, leaving three very confused people behind.

Sookie stared after him. Despite everything that was going on, had she really just met her great grandfather? And was he really offering to protect her from whatever was coming? Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Could she really trust him, even if he was a relative? She heard someone call her name. She blinked rapidly, focusing back on the room around her.

"Lover, did you hear me? I said, you are coming to stay with me."

_A/N - Important chapter coming up next! Will be longer than this one. Till next time x_


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N - **Hello everyone! I just wanted to answer a couple of comments that were made in reviews. If I could reply personally to all of you I would. They mean the world to me. Anyway - My swedish online translator has been dumped! Thank you to the reviewer who pointed out how rubbish it was!:) Also, Sookie's job!!:L Thank you to the sharp eyed reviewer who pointed that out! I completely forgot to include that Eric has arranged with Sam that she will be off for the foreseeable future! Sometimes the chapters are so complete in my head that when it comes time to put it all down I forget some details that need to be in there.

Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to comment on the story. I love ALL of you!! I'm a really busy mum of one, with a TERRIBLE internet connection and I just don't have a lot of free time on my hands so don't be offended when I say that I haven't even worked out how to reply to reviews yet. I appreciate every single one of them and please do keep them coming! When I'm done with the story I plan on thanking everyone personally for the support.

Now, rambling over, thanks to my FANTASTIC beta, here is chapter 13. Let me know what you think!

* * *

Chapter 13

Sookie blinked at him. Even through her shock, it still registered that she had a job and friends. She couldn't just abandon them to go stay with Eric until this was sorted out. The vampires' increasingly bemused expressions made her realize she hadn't replied. Shaking her head, she said, "Eric I can't."

For a moment she could have sworn he wanted to slap her. "Sookie, there is nothing to discuss. You are not being given a choice in this matter. It would seem that we are both in serious danger and I will not allow you to leave my sight until it has been resolved." She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand to silence her. Turning to Pam, he said something in rapid Swedish, then walked around her and sat down at his desk. Pam left the office with a smile that could only be described as gleeful.

"You know," Sookie growled at him, "I really hate it when you two do that. It's just rude!"

Eric looked at her with an expression of resignation. "Sookie, this is serious. The very fact that Niall is involving himself proves how dangerous the situation is. There can be no arguing. You are coming with me."

She glared at him, marching up to his desk and banging her fists down. "This isn't fair Eric! I have a life. I have a job. And friends. What about my brother? I'm needed in Bon Temps. I can't just hide away with you and wait until the monsters decide to leave me alone. I just can't!"

"We will not be hiding." He looked up at her, his beautiful blue eyes more serious than she had seen them since Godric's last dawn. "We will be planning. And when the time comes we will fight."

Fear sparked in the pit of her stomach as she saw again the dream in which Eric had been taken from her. The hollow, empty ache she felt in that dream haunted her now. Eric was around the desk and taking her in his arms before she could blink.

"Do not fear Lover. I will not allow any harm to come to you. I will protect you." he said softly, gathering her close against his chest. Sookie closed her eyes, savouring the feeling of safety that his arms evoked. She felt as though nothing in the world could touch her as long as Eric had his arms around her. Burying her face in his chest, she simply nodded. No words were needed. His fingers lightly traced up her spine. His lips pressed into her hair. They stood that way for a long time, breaking apart only when Pam re-entered the office and tutted in their direction.

"Urgh, can you two hold off on the hugging till I'm not around? I feel like I'm in an episode of Dawson's creek." She approached Sookie with a gin and tonic. "From the bar, I thought you might need it. And can you please stop looking at him like a lovesick puppy? It's making me nauseous."

"Enough Pam." Eric said, at exactly the same moment that a blushing Sookie exclaimed, "You watch Dawson's Creek?"

Pam smirked, "I liked the dark-haired one. Drink up, you look like you need it."

Sookie smiled at the vampire gratefully. She'd become increasingly fond of Pam lately. Her sarcastic wit took some getting used to, but really she was alright. Taking two huge gulps of her drink, she moved over to the leather sofa and sat down. "Thanks Pam."

Pam offered a rare genuine smile. Then she turned to her maker.

"Everything is ready master, I have arranged for delivery in the morning."

"Very well, thank you Pam."

Just then, Sookie dropped her glass. Gin and tonic splashed over Pam's Jimmy Choo's as the spunky telepath passed out. Eyebrow raised and elegant hands on her hips, Pam leveled a withering stare at her maker.

"If you insist on keeping her, you are going to have to buy me a shoe factory!"

* * *

Bill entered the compound shortly after sunset. If his heart could beat it would have been pounding. He had failed. Again. Sometime in between him leaving the Stackhouse residence and returning there the following evening his sheriff and Sookie had disappeared. Sophie-Anne was not going to be happy.

He had left because he could no longer stand the sound of Eric screwing the woman Bill loved.

The rising depth of feeling he was sensing from Sookie had only made things worse. He knew that particular feeling well. The first rush of love. So slight that she probably hadn't recognized it yet. But there it was. That blurring of the line between like and love where every touch made the heart skip and every kiss made it sing. Bill had felt every single flutter inside Sookie's chest as Eric had been pawing all over her.

He could not understand it. Although he knew deep down that Sookie's feelings for himself were based mostly on the thrill of first love and the excitement attached to not being able to hear his thoughts, he could not grasp any understanding of why she had fallen for Eric.

He was everything Sookie disliked about vampires. She had told Bill so herself. Eric was manipulative and conniving. He had tortured her friend and lied to her face and still she had fallen under his spell as though he was anything BUT a cold-hearted bastard. The Sheriff of Area Five was incapable of loving anybody. He was incapable of giving any of the things that Bill knew Sookie would need from a relationship; trust, respect, fidelity, caring words when things were difficult... Most of all Sookie needed to feel loved. She was not the kind of woman who would casually enter into a sexual relationship. Eric would stomp on her heart until there was nothing left of it - of this Bill was certain.

At first he had told himself that Sookie was sleeping with Eric to get back at him. To hurt him for hurting her. It had lessened the pain that day at her home when she had clung to Eric and rescinded Bill's invitation. On entering the house that day he had smelled Eric's scent all over the place. He had sensed him in her. On her. And he had told himself that this was his punishment for betraying her. Hope of forgiveness still flamed within him. That she would let him explain his reasons for doing what he had done, come back into his arms and forgive him.

But then he had stood amongst the trees last night, feeling her heart swell for the Viking and hearing her moan his name. He knew then that Sookie was lost to him. The knowledge had been more than he could bear and he had sped home to bury his face in the pillows that she had slept on only a few weeks ago. His tears had stained the white pillowcases with bloody streaks long before he had to go to his rest.

Somehow though, Bill didn't think the queen would accept his heartbreak as a satisfactory reason for losing track of her desperately coveted telepath. This was probably going to hurt. A lot. Sparing half a smile for the two guards at the doors, he put his poker face on and entered the queen's residence.

* * *

Eric smirked across the room at one seriously pissed off Sookie Stackhouse.

"Come now Lover, you were only going to argue and we do not have time for your stubborness."

Sookie glared at him from her place on the bed.

"This is abduction Eric Northman! I could have you arrested for this!"

"I know a good sheriff if you need one."

"It's not funny! You could at least untie me ya great big jerk-off!"

Eric grinned at her, leaning back against his computer desk and folding his arms. "Do you promise not to kick, fight, run, or do any of that delightful

slapping you seem to enjoy so much?"

"ERIC!"

"Now now Sookie, you must promise. That is the deal. If you find my terms unacceptable you can remain as you are."

Which was with both arms tied to the bed frame behind her head - thanks to Pam. The last thing Sookie remembered was getting comfortable on Eric's sofa in Fangtasia. One moment she had been perfectly alright and the next the world had gone dark. 'Should've known better than to accept a drink from her when she looked so excited,' she thought.

"Eric, if you do not let me go right now - I will never have sex with you again. Ever."

His smile only widened. Slowly, he pushed off from the desk and made his way over to the bed. If she thought he was going to release her though, she was mistaken. He stopped at the bottom of the bed.

"My dear, sweet Sookie. You and I both know that is a threat you will be unable to uphold for very long."

"Hmph!"

He laughed, stretching out a hand to run along her thigh. He heard her breath catch. Smirking, he leaned forward and slid his fingers higher. Dipping them between her legs but not quite touching the outside of her panties. She had thrown on her yellow sundress before they had left her home, how long ago? She had no idea and couldn't concentrate on finding out as his fingers skimmed lightly over the flimsy material covering her already heated center.

Eric watched smugly as her facial expressions jumped back and forth between annoyed and aroused. She was trying very hard to remain angry with him, but his ministrations were already winning out. He began rubbing her through the panties, his fingers sliding up and down, slow and intense. Sookie pushed her hips up to rub against them, wanting more. He was torturing her with her own need. But Eric pulled his hand away and waited until she stopped writhing before resuming.

Sookie's face was flushed. Her entire body ached for more of his touch. Her back arched involuntarily as he slid just one finger inside her cotton panties and began rubbing her clitoris in small circular movements. Sookie bit down hard on her lower lip, determined not to move again. Forcing her hips to remain still was quite a challenge, but she managed. Just about. The Viking was driving her crazy with just the gentle touch of one finger. But she would be damned if she'd ever admit that to him. Besides, if she moved she was certain he'd only stop again.

Suddenly, he spoke. In a teasing whisper he asked, "What were you saying Lover?" just as he sank his finger into her. A string of unintelligible moans and insults fell from her lips as she

bucked against his hand. Eric chuckled, driving his finger in deeper and bending it slightly, pulling back to press against that little spot inside her. He fought back his own groan as her waves of pleasure ran through him. She whimpered softly as he moved his hand away. But she needn't have worried. Half a second later he was on her. His clothes had vanished, his body pressed hers down into the mattress. Eric captured her lips with his own, moving them with bruising force. The roughness of the kiss only served to fuel her lust and her legs wound themselves around him, pulling his hardness directly against her heat.

His lips moved from hers to lay a trail of hot kisses across her cheek and down her throat. All the while he groaned her name. His need was relentless. It were as though his very life depended on having her, being inside her. It was a primal feeling. Animalistic. He needed to mark her, to claim her as his own. Not just as a vampire, but as a man. As his fangs ran down and grazed her skin he sank them into her neck without awaiting permission. Pulling deeply on her blood, his eyes rolled back as her Fae essence rushed through him. Cock twitching against her, he began rocking his hips rhythmically, earning a hoarse groan from Sookie.

"Eric. Please... Eric."

Eric pulled once more on her delicious blood, then closed the wound and lifted his head back to stare down at his woman.

"Please what Sookie. What do you want?" She looked up at him blearily.

"You. I want you."

"First, tell me you will stay." His eyes smouldered down at her. _Bastard_.

Sookie glared up at him. She was in no fit state to say no to anything right now, and he knew it.

"Fine."

Eric leaned down and pressed his lips against her ear. "Say it. Say you will stay with me."

Her eyes rolled shut, "I will stay with you Eric. Please."

"Please what Lover?"

Growling, she yanked her head away from his. Staring up into his eyes, she whispered roughly, "Fuck me."

Eric happily complied. Without warning he pushed up and entered her, hard. Filling her with his cock, he pushed until every last inch of him was wrapped snugly in her warm walls. She tensed as he hit her hilt and the resulting pressure sent him over. With a cry not unlike a battle call - he drove her into the mattress, each thrust bouncing her body up off the bed. Resting on his arms above her he rammed into Sookie as he had never done before. This time it was pure possession. His victory. She was now his. His to do with as he pleased.

Her legs gripped his waist like a vice as he leaned forward, staring at her trapped beneath him. Her eyes were closed now, her mouth slightly open in dazed wonder as Eric claimed every part of her. The ropes securing her arms to the bars of the headboard tightened and chafed against her wrists, but she didn't care. The slight pain only added to her heightened sensations. In this moment, all she cared about was that Eric never ever stop his relentless pounding. His growling ceased as he began hoarsely groaning her name, increasing his speed now with every thrust until he was moving so fast he blurred. As reached an extraordinarily powerful orgasm, something incredible happened.

Eric heard her scream out his name as she gushed over his cock and her eyes began glowing white. With one hard yank, she was free of her bindings and Eric found himself on his back on the floor. Before he could react, she was on top of him. Her mouth smashed against his as she sank onto his cock, taking all of him in one thrust. The Viking groaned into her mouth as she rode him, squeezing him hard inside of her. He seized hold of her hair, clashing his tongue against hers. And all the while Sookie rode him faster and faster until they both reached an explosive peak.

Then Sookie collapsed onto his chest, pushing her face into his shoulder as his arms came up around her. Eric lay beneath her smirking. That was new. Oh Billy, you have no idea what you have lost, he thought. He held Sookie against him as she regained her breath. What had just happened would probably scare her once she came down from her orgasmic high.

When she finally lifted her head to look at him, he was struck by just how beautiful she was. It was not mere superficial good looks that made Sookie Stackhouse the most beautiful woman he'd ever known. In fact, he'd had plenty of better looking women. It was the beauty inside her that made her so stunningly unique. She was truly a good person. She was loyal, and brave and so very determined to do what was right. These were qualities that had mostly annoyed and at best amused him before now as she had fought his actions and decisions. But now – now she had given that same ferocious loyalty to him. Had defended him to her friend. Had made clear to her newly-discovered great grandfather that she was firmly on Eric's side. Had bravely stood at his side and fought her own corner in front of a vampire queen... Now he could see just how remarkable she truly was. For a moment, he felt his undead heart ache.

And then it passed.

"I. What was that?" She whispered, half to herself.

Eric smiled up at her. He lifted a hand to her cheek, "That, dear one, was you manifesting some of those faery gifts you were promised."

He was surprised to see tears pricking in the corners of her eyes and an immense sadness both in her demeanor and through their bond.

"Sookie, it is alright. This is a good thing. You overpowered a 1000 year old vampire long enough to throw him across a room. This can help us. Whatever is coming, this gives us a great advantage." He assured her.

Sookie smiled weakly at him. "I guess."

Eric lifted her up by the waist, groaning as he slid out of her. Sitting up, he turned her in his arms in the same movement. He looked down at her in confusion. "What is the matter? There is no need for sadness. We had sex, you again used your powers. This is a good thing is it not?"

Looking up at him, she felt her heart warm briefly as she took in his genuine concern. "It's not that Eric, of course it's good. Both are good. Better than good. It's just that I really don't want to be a faery. I just wanna be me." She looked down, suddenly aware that she sounded stupidly ungrateful.

"You are you. You will always be you. Sookie Stackhouse. Waitress and mouth-piece extraordinaire."

Sookie mock glared at him, "You know, I wouldn't have to use my mouth so often if you weren't such an overgrown jackass most of the time."

Eric laughed, "So sometimes I am not a - what did you call it? Overgrown jackass?"

She grinned, nodding. "Sometimes you're alright. Lately whole days have passed without you doing something that makes me want to stake you

while you're sleeping."

"How intriguing. We cannot have my bonded plotting my final death. Perhaps we should tie you up again."

"Or perhaps you could stop being such a jackass."

Eric stood up, holding her body to him. Sookie giggled as he gave a dramatic sigh. "I believe you just do not want me to have any fun at all little one."

"I just let you have lots of fun! By the way, where are we going?" she asked him as he carried her towards the door. There were no windows in this room so she was fairly certain that they were in Eric's own bedroom. Not that she remembered getting here. Which reminded her...

SMACK! She dug him on his shoulder.

"Why did you do that?"

"That's for kidnapping me!"

"You are entirely too casual about picking fights with vampires Lover."

Sookie glowered at him, her face a mask of pure fury although Eric could feel that she was more amused than insulted by his comment. "Maybe vampires are too casual about trying to walk all over me. Princess, remember?"

He laughed all the way upstairs and into the master bathroom.

* * *

He knelt on one knee in front of her deckchair. She watched the humans in the room splash their feet in her pool. Among them, sporting several healing wounds was Hadley Stackhouse. The idiotic girl was a lot more subdued lately. Less keen to draw attention to herself. Sophie-Anne watched the girl for a few long moments.

Then she turned her gaze on Bill. Cold fury burned in her youthful eyes. Though her demeanor gave the impression of calm, Bill could see clearly that his queen had been infuriated by his news.

"What do you mean you have lost them? How could you lose them?" she barked at him. "Your task was simple, William." Bill nodded, hoping his sorrowful expression was convincing. "I realize that your majesty, I am sorry. I left them so close to dawn that I felt certain he could not have risked leaving with her." This of course, was a lie. But if it kept Bill alive it was a lie worth telling, in his opinion.

Sophie-Anne gave him a calculating look. Once again her telepath had slipped between her fingers. And once again Bill Compton had been the cause. It was time to try something else, someone more powerful. Someone hopefully more competent than the idiot kneeling in front of her now. She had hoped that it wouldn't come to this, but the fools around her had guaranteed that this was her only option. It was time to be rid of William anyway. He was starting to grind on her nerves. His love for the telepath was both pathetic and wasted as far as Sophie-Anne was concerned. The bloodbag would be hers!

Cocking an elegant brow, she intoned softly, "Very well William. I see I have no further need for your services regarding Miss Stackhouse. I have a visitor here for you, you can leave with her."

The first sign of fear showed itself on his face. No. No. She would not...

"Loreeeena," she called out in a sickly sweet tone. "There's somebody here to seeeeee you!"

A dark haired woman sauntered into the room. Her smug smile was evident on her face already.

Bill had fallen backward, terrified. "No, my queen, no. Please, I implore you. Give me another chance with Sookie. I am certain that given time-"

Another icy glare silenced him. "You have already failed me twice. And thanks to you my telepath could very well be lost to me forever! You will get no more chances from me William Compton. Your maker is free to take you if she wishes. Though I can't imagine why she would want to."

"No!" Bill protested, "No! She freed me! She no longer has any right to take me anywhere!"

The queen leaned forward in her lounger and smiled sweetly at him. "I think you shall find that she has every right. Not only do I, Queen of Louisiana allow it, as your maker she has total power over you. Whether she freed you or not."

"Awww sugar, didn't ya miss me?" Lorena drawled.

* * *

Sookie sat at Eric's kitchen table eating a chicken salad. The fact that Eric had a kitchen, let alone one that actually had edible food in it, surprised her. He had shown her the bag of clothes Pam had somehow managed to procure from Sookie's home and allowed her to dress. Then he had disappeared to make some calls.

This was of course after giving them both a leisurely rub-down in the shower. The man had his priorities apparently. Which also included a repeat performance of the last time they had showered together. Not that she could complain. Despite the circumstances, she had left the bathroom wearing only a towel and the biggest smile ever.

Eric was insatiable and she had to admit that she was just as bad. Merely looking at him had all sorts of lustful thoughts running through her mind. Thoughts she would never have admitted to. He had unleashed something within her that simply hungered for him. She would never get enough of the Viking. And that scared the hell out of her.

That was the reason she'd avoided him since their first meeting that night at Fangtasia. She had felt the pure power radiating out of the beautiful man on that throne. When they were introduced, she had stood defiant as his gaze had penetrated her. Even though she couldn't be glamoured, she was pretty sure that if she had looked into his eyes for long enough she would have been his that very night.

He had affected her so deeply that he frightened her. There was nothing safe and comforting about the way his eyes had undressed her at every meeting. There was no warmth or sense of humanity from Eric. He was pure Viking vampire god. His attitude towards human life, and his blatant complacency over holding Layfayette prisoner had only made it easier for her to tell herself that she hated him. That she didn't want him with an intensity that just wasn't normal.

Which was why she had been so keen to choose Bill. He was attractive. He made her want him. And most importantly, he was so determined to hold on to his humanity. His warmth and compassion, his gentleness, had drawn her to him. She had loved him for it. Convinced that this was real love; in safety, warmth and comfort, she had been happy to dismiss her attraction to Eric as something completely unnatural.

And Bill had lied to her from the start. He had pushed his way into her life, stood by and watched as she was beaten almost to death, just to get his blood into her. Had played the hesitant, southern gentleman, the type of man she'd dreamed of meeting for most of her life. He had taken her innocence because a vampire queen ordered him to. For all of his self-hatred, Bill's actions had been about with as far from humanity as it was possible to get. She raged at herself for not being able to hate him. Gran would have said that she should feel proud that her strength and compassion would not allow her to hate him. But she didn't feel proud, she felt weak. And afraid.

Eric had done more for her than she had ever given him credit for. Right now, especially compared to Bill, he was a good man. A sarcastic, manipulative pig, yes. But there was good in there somewhere too. He had proved it when he'd saved her life after the maenad attack. He had saved her again at the Fellowship of the Sun; had even offered himself to save her, when he really didn't need to. When faced with a bomb that could easily have killed him, he had chosen to shield her from the attack. It was his actions immediately afterward that Sookie had chosen to focus on. Thinking back, she wasn't even sure that she had thanked him for the risk he had taken to protect her.

And now, he had taken her into his home. A place that he never took anyone other than Pam. He had provided for her things that Bill never even dreamed of providing in his home. Simple yet important things like her favourite shampoo. He took care of her. And he had risked so much to protect her from his queen; would probably risk much more before this was over.

Sitting in his kitchen, the whole thing suddenly felt surreal to Sookie. How could so much have changed in so short a time? she didn't know. And right now she couldn't find it in her to care.

* * *

Eric paced the library, speaking fast in his native language. He was setting up more security for his home, plus more guards for Sookie should she decide to be foolish and leave the grounds of his home while he was in his daytime rest. Not that she would need to. There was more than enough here to keep her entertained while he slept. The library, his games room, the cinema-style television room where hundreds of DVDs lined the walls. There was also the swimming pool and gym to keep her occupied.

Finally finishing, he thanked Pam and ended the call. Instead of heading straight back to Sookie, he went to the window. Staring up at the stars, he finally allowed himself to really think about what it was that he was doing.

He had already made an enemy of his queen over his faery princess. And now it seemed he was going to war with an as yet unknowable enemy. It occurred to him that perhaps he was just losing it. He was not 1000 years old because he acted on his impulses. It took hard work and a lot of self control to end up as old as he. Godric had taught him survival, had taught him well. Ruthlessness - knowing what to let go of and what to hold on to. Every vampire survival instinct in him was telling him just to kill the girl and have done with it. Or at the very least, distance himself from her and leave her to her own fate.

But the problem was, every single other instinct in his body screamed at him to keep her by his side. To embrace the feelings she was beginning to awaken inside him. Eric knew that Sookie was worth every bit of trouble that would come his way. He also knew that she would not survive for long without him. If the queen didn't get her, some other vampire would. Her telepathy was just so fucking important to vampires in general. It made her a valuable asset. If her other developing powers were discovered, she would also be seen as a powerful tool. And most vampires would secure her loyalty in any way they saw fit. Which wouldn't mean anything good. Not for Sookie, or anyone she cared about.

He watched out the window as the sky turned completely black. Then, his decision made, he turned and left the room in silence.

* * *

Sophie-Anne watched with an amused smile as Bill cowered at Lorena's feet. She knew all about how he had treated her in front of Godric's nest. Now he was going to receive his punishment. It was unfortunate. She had quite liked William Compton. His southern manners and devotion to a human were always great sources of amusement to her. And she did not like Lorena. The woman was delusional. For decades she had convinced herself that she and William were part of some epic love story in which they would love each other forever. She could not seem to grasp that William Compton could barely stand her, let alone love her.

But still, Sophie-Anne was bored with him now and she had plans to make. William's fate was his own problem. She had her own destiny to sort out. Besides, Lorena now owed her a favour for returning her unruly child. And a sadistic bitch who owed her a favour was exactly what the Queen of Louisiana needed tonight. How clever she thought herself. Everything would fall into place after tonight. She was confident that Sookie would be hers within the week.

Her attention strayed back to the maker and child accompanying her this evening. Bill had just received a brutal kick to the ribs. Every human in the room kept their heads down. They knew the punishment for speaking up over vampire matters.

Lorena, noticing that the queen was now looking at them again, smiled cheerfully, "William and I were just ironing out a few difficulites before our journey south your majesty. Please do excuse my rudeness."

"Not at all," Sophie-Anne replied smoothly, "A maker must assert control over their children if they act up. You will, though, have to continue your fun later. I have a job for you that you can do on your way."

Lorena curtseyed, "Of course, your majesty. Anything you desire, I owe you a great debt for returning my William to me."

The queen made no attempt to hide her eyes rolling as she listened to the idiot grovel. "I have another visitor arriving shortly so let us make this quick. Hadley dear, do come to me," she sang out.

Hadley raised her head slowly, fearfully. She met the queen's icy stare and climbed painfully to her feet. After their return to the palace that awful day, Hadley had made the rather serious mistake of demanding to know why she hadn't been told that her Gran was dead. And why her cousin had no idea that they were coming for her. The resulting beating had left her unable to move and the queen had ordered that she suffer through. No vampire blood, not even any human pain relief. Hadley didn't mind, even though it was agony to move. She felt she deserved it.

She was an idiot, always had been. But she had never meant Sook any harm. She had been under the impression that Sookie knew all about Sophie-Anne and how Hadley had come to stay at the palace. They had told her that Sook wasn't happy at home, that she and Bill were planning on coming to live with them at the palace as soon as their affairs in Bon Temps were sorted out. Now she could see that those "friendly" vampires were just duping her in order to learn all they could about Sookie. And now, as she made her way over to the queen, she had a feeling she knew how her story was about to end. As she walked slowly, almost stumbling once or twice, she said a silent prayer that somehow her cousin would forgive her. That Sookie would be okay. And finally, that her little boy never got to know how his Mother's life had ended.

* * *

Sookie was just clearing up her dishes as Eric entered the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway to watch as she hummed to herself. She looked lovely in the red silk bathrobe that Pam had picked up for her earlier. It hung just below her ass and clung deliciously to her curves. Eric loved a woman with curves. They were soft, warm, and comforting. As she finished up, he realized that she had stopped humming.

"Phone calls all done?" she asked quietly, still facing the sink.

He stepped forward, slipping his arms around her, and pulled her back against his chest. "Yes, security is in place."

Sookie nodded, letting her eyes fall shut. "What do we do now Eric? Do we run? Fight? Roll over and die?"

He chuckled, "I never run. And I will never roll over and die. We fight Sookie. And we win."

She turned to face him. "It's that simple?" Her gaze was searching and he met it unwaveringly.

"Yes, Sookie. It is that simple. I will protect you, this I vow. Do not fear."

"Eric..." She shook her head, leaning forward to rest her head on his chest. "Don't you get it? It's not me I'm afraid for. At the end of all of this, it's not me that I see dying every time I close my eyes."

He let his hands slide down her back in what he hoped was a soothing manner. "Sookie, nothing has ever defeated me before. Nothing will now. I have legions across the world who would take up arms at my side. I have a resourceful and extremely skilled child, ready to follow me into battle." He paused, reaching down to tilt her face up. "And I have a warrior princess who will develop and use her powers in any way she must in order to see us all through this."

She couldn't think of anything to say to that. He could already feel her fear. And he could already feel her gratitude. The only thing left to do was to stand on her tiptoes and let him feel her need to kiss him.

* * *

Sophie-Anne was now alone in her sun room. She had ordered Lorena to kill Hadley in any way she desired, so long as the first light of dawn found the body on Sookie Stackhouse's front lawn. She also insisted that Lorena involve Bill in the killing as much as possible. A nice gift for her telepath. Her smile was juvenile and smug as she remembered the resigned look in Hadley's eyes as she listened to her own death sentence. The foolish bint had actually impressed her in the end. Hadley had stood with her back straight and tears in her eyes, but not one touched her cheeks. And she never once begged, or asked for mercy. She simply stared at the vampire who had promised her the world and given her this instead. She hadn't even screamed when Lorena forced dear William to drag her from the complex by her hair. She had simply stumbled along in his wake.

"Excuse me, your majesty." Sophie-Anne's musings were cut short by the arrival of one of her guards, "Your witch has arrived."

"Very well, thank you. You may show her in." The guard bowed and left. Sophie-Anne's eyes eagerly watched the door as a tall, fierce looking woman was led inside.

"Ah," she smiled, "Hallow. How lovely to see you. I have a job for you. It involves Eric Northman and I need it done as soon as possible..."

* * *

**A/N- **Hadley's story is sad to me, and I wanted to keep it like that. The book Hadley wasn't my favourite character by any means - but show Hadley seems just a bit stupid and naive and playing way over her head. I hope that comes across. Her whole story is sad.


End file.
